Fighting Fires
by Kapperz1212
Summary: Sequel to Readjusting. Will Bella be lost to the fires of another? Are wings a prerequisite for guardian angels? Can icy skin and razor sharp teeth suffice? Will Bella's angels reach her in time? Or will Edward lose the angel of his own.
1. Chapter 1: Fire Escapes

_Author's note- If you have not yet read Reajusting, you will have missed many key points to this story. So i strongly suggest you read that one first:) Enjoy! I'm so excited for this new story!!! _

_This first part may seem a bit repetitive. But i wanted to portray the fact that Raphael isn't evil. He's desperate. _

_Disclaimer. I own nothing of Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. _

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**BPOV**

"Why are you doing this to me?" My words seemed much less powerful than they had sounded in my mind. Raphael's mouth contorted in discomfort.

"I didn't have a choice, bird." Not good enough. The anger pulsing beneath my skin surprised me. He had better have a hell of a lot better reason than that for kidnapping me.

"Tell me." The voice that came from me was stronger now, braced with the rage. He sighed and pressed his face into his hands.

"They- they were going to kill her." His voice shook now. Her? Lindy. The Volturi was going to punish Lindy the way Edward had hoped to be punished. "What else could I have done?"

I answered in silence. I wouldn't have known what to do. I might actually have done the same for Edward, or Alice, or Emmett, or Esme, or Carlisle, probably even for Rose. I would have sacrificed myself for them. For my love, for my siblings.

"She's my sister." Both his hands muffled his words now and small heaves of his chest made the phrases nearly impossible to understand. "She's the only thing I have left of being human. She's been beside me forever." I cringed away from my captor. Slightly repulsed by the sight of him weeping. He was saving one he loved by offering another, a stranger, in her place. I meant nothing to him. I was of no significance to him, simply a trading token. But didn't he realize that I had people that I loved? That loved me? That I did mean something to others?

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As the fortress walls punctured the distant horizon I felt my hope dwindle irrefutably. There would be no saving now. There would be no escape now. All exit ramps had been severed, all fire escapes engulfed in flames. My fire fighters had little or no chance now, the barrier between them and me growing exponentially by the second. 

The green hills rolled by serenely as I began tearing away at my fingernails. More time. I needed more time. Why did everything always come down to deadlines? How could time seem so boundless yet so limiting in the same moment?

I needed more time to prevent the incorrect ending to my story. The flames of revenge burnt much differently than the flames of passion. I didn't want to be tainted by the hearth of replacement and duty; I wanted the preservation of an endless devotion. I wanted Edward to make me the same as him, an equal, for eternity, for all time.

Was it ironic that I wished now to escape from all time? That I only wanted forever my way? And because it had been ill destined from the beginning, fate had twisted the desired conclusion to my life around on me? My one and greatest desire had turned to bite me in the butt, or neck in this case.

And now as the back entrance to the city opened creakily to welcome the running vehicle I took a deep breath, holding it in my lungs as tightly as possible. My cheeks and lungs burned with effort as I suppressed the well of tears beneath my eyes. Too late to cry. Water couldn't help the flames that awaited me.

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The stone was colder than I remembered, the grasp on my arm tighter than before, the sound of my footsteps more hollow, the dripping sound of water echoed more loudly…but the faces had remained the same. The billowing capes and scarlet irises hadn't changed. The eerie cackle from Felix made my heart attempt to dive out of my chest as I was dragged through the underground tunnel. 

I was pushed unceremoniously through a dark, ancient, and thick wooded door. Aro's awaiting smile made the lump in my throat tighten, nauseating me further. There was one piece of furniture in the chamber, a small black chair. I fell immediately to my knees as the freezing hands of the Volturi guards released me. The sniggers from behind me made me shiver.

I pressed myself up from the floor with some difficulty. I avoided Aro's direct gaze, but out of my peripheral vision it was easy to see his smile widen.

"Please Bella, sit," Aro motioned towards the chair, his voice smooth as silk. His piercing leer made me feel penetrable; I felt the goose bumps raise the hairs on my arms. I took to rubbing my arms with my hands trying to caress the chill of his stare from my skin. "Cold, Bella?" I shook my head from side to side, my eyes still set on the floor. He chuckled gaily.

"Best for you to get used to it. Soon enough you'll be cold to everything, all of the time." Each word slit through my heart, making my chest weaken until it was resting on my thighs. My head hung between my knees. This was not how it was supposed to be. This was not what I had wanted. This was not what I had dreamed of.

This…this was Hell. The Devil's crimson eyes stared greedily into mine when I finally met his focus; I flinched from the contact but could not pull my eyes from the face of haunting perfection.

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_Author's note- I hope you all enjoyed the very first chapter. Leave me a wondrous piece of encouragement._


	2. Chapter 2: Sirens

_Author's note- Hello all! this is getting so intense! AH! i will be updating as quickly as possible! leave some motivation!_

_ Disclaimer._

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**BPOV**

I hadn't had time to blink before Aro was directly in front of me, daintily holding my left hand. His wide smile practically glowed in the low-lit chamber.

"Married? Are we now?" His eyes stayed glued to the diamonds. Chills ran through my arms as his icy fingers brushed the inside of my fingers. He held the ring between his forefinger and thumb, twisting it this way and that, smiling in admiration. It nearly sickened me to have him hold it like that. "How completely…human."

He struggled for the last word, turning his bloody stare onto me as he uttered it. I was vaguely aware of a few more creatures slipping through the doorway, lithely melting into the shadows against the walls.

"I have to say, I am a bit offended that I did not receive an invitation," he mocked a hurt tone, his grin as taunting as ever. The chairs' legs rocked on the uneven cobblestone as my entire body shook uncontrollably. I forced my hands into tighter fists willing my body to quit shaking. I paced my breaths, drawing in the cloudy air of the chamber slowly and letting it hiss out through my pursed lips.

"Nervous, Bella?"

The sweet tone of his voice made my shakes worse. I shook my head violently from side to side, forcing as calm a face as I was able. Aro snickered softly beneath his breath, beckoning one of the guards from the side of the wall. I couldn't distinguish the whispers they exchanged, but I was especially worried by the enthusiastic smile on the lips of the guard as he slipped out of the door.

"Now, let us get to the topic that we have all been so eager to discuss." He sat into a large wooded throne looking thing that I hadn't noticed upon entering. I took the deepest breath I could.

"And what would that be?" My voice shook minimally, but was inescapably quiet. Aro chuckled, a high, musical sound. I swallowed hard.

"Ah humility is such a charming virtue," he glanced down to his folded hands, "you, of course," he remarked. My jaw tightened painfully. I blinked a thousand times, desperately withholding the moisture beneath my lids.

"Now Bella. I remember a visit you made to us about a year and a half ago." My breath began to become very uneven. "I seem to recall a solid promise-" he paused, searching for better diction, "…compromise," he corrected. My eyes averted to the wall, studying the magical pattern at which the flames seemed to lick upon the stone.

"That our dear boy Edward made with us." My heart began to beat upon my ribcage, like the knocking on a door. "Surely you remember?" I nodded stiffly. "It seems as if his side of our agreement hasn't been upheld as concretely as I imagined."

There was a nausea stirring in my stomach as I pictured Edward, scrambling to save me, only to realize that the flames were already lapping at my toes.

I turned to see the guard that had left at the instruction of Aro, return. In tow were a very solemn looking Raphael, Lindy, and Ivy. The latter looked positively jumpy, hardly capable of holding her eyes to a solid spot for more than a few seconds. Lindy stared at the ground, her mouth set in a grim line. Raphael stared directly at me, his expression pained.

"Thank you, Anders," the guard bowed his head and retreated back to the wall. "How nice to see you all again." Aro turned his focus to the trio, Ivy returned with a shaky smile. Lindy and Raph stayed as still as statues.

"So nice to meet under better circumstances." Aro's hospitality didn't seem to be warming any of them up. But their lack of encouragement did nothing to discourage his kind welcome. "Are any of you thirsty?" My throat constricted immediately, the apocalyptic screeches of the victims from our last encounter with Heidi blaring in my mind. I fought hard to control my panic. "We have a couple extras from our last meal." His inviting tone nearly made me gag.

To my slight comfort, all three of the trio shook their heads in dismissal. Aro sighed a little, standing and gliding towards the three. Raph braced for his approach, turning to angle in front of Lindy slightly. Aro reached out his hand, a genuine signal of camaraderie to most people, a show of submission to Aro's power for those in the know. Raphael offered his hand tightly. Aro's smile grew as their palms came into contact.

He obviously did not feel the need to see into the minds of the others for he then proceeded back to his throne, the grin still firmly in place.

"Bella, dear," Aro directed towards me, "do you find it interesting that you are always attacked when Edward is absent?" I furrowed my brow at the torch on the wall, burning just as brightly as before. "The other Cullens do not seem to pose a threat to assailants. But if self sacrificing Edward is around, no one dares to touch you." He smirked glancing towards the trio once more.

"Now it is quite simple to see that people see Edward as this impenetrable shield, when it comes to you. You cannot be touched without moving him out of the way first," he veered his eyes to the guards along the wall. "These three were very clever in their plan of action, plenty of research on the infamous powers of the Cullen coven before running in to see their dear friend Carlisle again."

I clenched my teeth together. That's why Edward hadn't anticipated this…why Alice hadn't seen anything…why Jasper hadn't felt the hostility…the trio had done their homework. And were apparently receiving high marks from the professor, taking into account the warm smile Aro held in their direction.

"Have you ever really considered why Edward left you all those months ago?" My chest ached suddenly at the mention of that winter. "Maybe he really is the reason all of these dangerous things keep happening? Logistically you know its true. Without Edward, your life would be free of these creatures completely. Wouldn't that be so much simpler?"

Simple? A life without Edward would hardly be a life at all. I couldn't even imagine the emptiness that would plague me if…

The thought wouldn't even come to mind.

"Regardless, look where its landed you now," he stood and floated towards my chair, "I believe I owe Edward a gracious Thank you for providing me with this exciting possibility!"

His face lit up with excitement and I could see my own eyes reflected in the crimson irises of his. He took a long thin finger and ran it under my chin. I tensed my shoulders squeezing my eyes shut; I could practically taste the soot of the fires awaiting me.

To my complete surprise, Aro's icy finger left my skin and I peeked cautiously to see him approaching the trio once more. Raph's face was twisted in a way that looked as if he were in extreme pain.

"Interesting isn't it?" Aro spoke to Raph and me now, turning his gaze between the two of us. "How so many of us seem drawn to you?"

Raphael's fierce growl scared me out of my chair. His sharp teeth gleamed in the flickering firelight as he bore a vicious snarl towards Aro. I braced for the harsh impact with the cold rock of the floor. A sharp slice of pain from my elbow accompanied my whimper. Edging closer to me, Raph stepped cautiously backwards, his focus remaining on Aro. The Volturi master seemed divinely amused.

Raph inched around me, scooping me up into his arms and setting the chair back into its upright position with a hook of his ankle. He placed me gently into the chair, scooting a few yards back. Aro laughed delightedly.

"Isabella Swan-" Aro placed a hand against his heart bowing his head apologetically, "Bella Cullen," he chuckled over the name, "you never cease to surprise me. Which, with over a thousand years in this world, is nearly impossible to do."

I clutched to the wood beneath me, barely able to stand the tension. I hated waiting for this. I hated being dangled over the flames, the lamb skewered on a spic. As vulnerable as ever, no lion to protect me this time. I felt like the smoke was already smothering my lungs.

Aro looked Lindy and Ivy over once before waving them towards the door. Two guards appeared immediately at the sides of the women, leading them into the corridor.

"Bella, I have a gracious soul. Sometimes a little too trusting," he began to pace back and forth. "As we have seen in this case, as you sit before me very much still human." I felt Raph's icy hand set carefully onto my shoulder. I felt a little more secure.

"So lovely I will leave the decision up to you." My expression perked instantly as the words left the ancient one's mouth. I felt my heart lighten. Stay human? Wait for Edward? But…the Volturi were clever bargainers…what would he want in return?

Promised allegiance from Edward? Or Alice? Both? I shuddered at the thought of sacrificing their freedom. It wouldn't be done.

"You realize, obviously, that you must be changed now. We have no choice." My face collapsed into my hands, and I couldn't help the strangled sob that erupted from my chest. To hear the fate was so much worse than I had imagined. My angel wouldn't reach me in time. I would suck in the smoke of servitude instead of the lustrous scent of forever. My fire fighters hadn't been alerted quickly enough. The arsonists had been too clever. The sirens of the emergency vehicles wouldn't sound for me.

"But, I will provide you with some voice in the matter," he came towards me now; Raph tightened his hold upon my shoulder.

"I can change you," he grinned kindly less than a few feet from me. "Or Raph can." I felt the cold hand abandon my shoulder and cringed at the roar that sounded from behind me.

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_Author's note- Review! Review! Review! cmon. you know you want to!_


	3. Chapter 3: Cataclysmic Proportions

_Author's note- I am updating in a much more timely manner. With slightly fewer words to each chapter. I hope you enjoy!_

_Disclaimer. _

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**BPOV**

I spun as quickly as possible, jumping up from the chair. Two vampires blocked the doorway, the hoods of their Volturi capes shadowing their faces. Raph's frantic arm reached around my shoulders, shoving me back against the far wall. He stood in front of me, his body standing guard over mine.

A chorus of feral growls and territorial roars had me cringing against the wall, my cheek pressed into the cold stone. One of the mysterious new strangers immediately dove for Raphael, sending him through the wall and into a neighboring chamber, there was a jarring clap of cataclysmic proportions as they collided.

The Volturi guards that had been protecting Aro were brawling with the second one. Mostly a blur of black tears of fabric and vicious snarls. I pushed the palms of my hands into my ears, the battle cries pounding through my head.

Aro's enraged glare met my eyes. I heard his yell over everything else.

"NO!" He roared. I fell to the floor, desperately covering my ears.

"The girl! GET THE GIRL!" He shouted. My eyes flew open in horror, my heart drilling in my chest. A granite arm locked around my stomach running me through the hole in the wall to my left. Raphael was tumbling with the first of the strangers, tearing recklessly at the stony skin, his razor sharp teeth snapping at the assailant.

When his eyes came into contact with mine they went wide in fury. He lay pinned beneath the other vampire, but ripped into the leg of my captor, sending both him and I flying to the ground. I felt the sickly crack of my skull against the rocky floor. My right arm felt numb and was pinned beneath me.

The sticky warmth began to soak my hair. I began breathing through my mouth, terrified even to glance down to what was making my shirt wet at the shoulder.

I was vaguely aware of someone else picking me up and carrying me through the labyrinth of subterranean tunnels. We twisted past the corners; I could hear the ravenous roars of the war behind us. Their screeches made the walls tremble around me, sending flickers of moisture into the corridor's air. The person carrying me cursed beneath their breath.

"Shit."

I gasped frantically as I felt the arms beneath me fall, for the third time I crashed into the unforgiving floor. The air whooshed from my lungs at impact. I forced my eyes shut as the clamor of granite against granite rang in my ears.

I swallowed as much air as possible, inhaling the unmistakable scent of salty rust. I could nearly taste it on my tongue.

After a few harsh snaps and revolting shredding sounds, I was once again lifted. By this time I could barely see. My vision was too spotted with black absences of color or focus. The imbalance was nauseating.

To my complete disgust the walls and other surroundings began going red. After a few seconds I was hardly able to blink, the thick liquid caught in my eyelashes. I thrashed at my eyes with my still mobile left arm, clawing at the sickening substance. The smell seemed to cling to the sides of my nose. I succumbed easily as the black spots invaded the entirety of my vision, leaving me to undulate with the waves of unconsciousness.

Unfortunately, the vacant bliss did not last as long as I could have hoped.

I jerked awake, choking on the dry air in my throat. My pulse beat heavily in my head. I attempted to roll over, only to scream at the unbearable pain in my arm.

A freezing gag came over my mouth, pressing firmly against the sound of my yell. My eyes flashed open, only to see the back of the Volturi hood, the head of my silencer was turned to the door.

I squirmed beneath them, whimpering for breath. They only pressed harder against my struggling lips. Their other arm secured me down to the surface beneath me, preventing me from moving around.

I heard the faint echo of voices somewhere below wherever we were. A terrible roar shattered the still air, the accompanying voice making me shiver.

"FIND HER!" Aro's unmistakable command vibrated between my ears, I squealed beneath my captor, crying unintelligibly for Edward.

The cloak enclosed me as the vampire cradled me into their chest, crossing the room to another stone door. We clambered down a long staircase, through a couple more winding hallways and stumbled into a dark closet. I was set carefully onto the ground as the door was shut quietly. They turned to face me, the hood falling silently onto their back.

I couldn't help the heave of my chest. My head beat painfully as I opened my mouth in shock and immeasurable relief.

"Emmett?"

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_Author's note- SAVE BELLA! LEAVE A REVIEW!_


	4. Chapter 4: The Roster

_Author's note- I owe you the most sincere apologies. history papers and chemistry tests and precalculus exams have left me drained. i have however started the next chapter which will be much better! and up much sooner! but this one should allow you to take a sigh of relief. enjoy._

_Disclaimer. _

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**BPOV**

Emmett's hand clamped over my mouth, irritated I turned my head out of his grasp and ran into his chest. I nearly started sobbing right then and there, out of pure relief. My firefighters had reached me in time. His protective outerwear was made of thick velvet versus the PBI material of typical fireproof jackets, but here we were, not unharmed, but surely not charred.

Emmett peered desperately into my eyes, grabbing hold of the sides of my abdomen and laying me gently onto my left side.

"Bella, do not move from here alright?" His voice was frantic, his eyes flickering to the door and back to mine every few seconds. He seemed on high alert, every little twitch of my arms made him tense and at every intake of breath he snarled.

"But Emmett wh-" A million questions that wandered through my mind bubbled to my lips, but each was instantly muffled as Emmett's paw clapped over my mouth.

"I can't explain," he apologized, stroking the side of my cheek. "Do NOT move, breathe as quietly as possible, hold your breath if you can." He straightened up, pressing his ear against the door before opening the handle. A half second before he slipped into the murky hallway my voice shook in terror.

"Emmett, please don't leave." My words half-sobbed, half-choked out. The response he had murmured before running into the gloom rang in a hollow manner, the ghost of a whisper.

"You won't be alone for long." I curled into a shivering ball on the cold stony floor, cradling my wounded arm into the crescent of my belly, and praying for the angel who had given my heart his wings. My body was in so much pain that I am positive now, looking back on it, that the endorphins had driven me close to insane, like too many

Percocets.

I tried thinking of what an outer body experience would be right now, observing myself, as I lay crumpled on the wet cobblestone of a medieval closet, bloody and battered. How many people could say that they had almost died seven times? Not just "my life flashed before my eyes" crap, but legitimate long tunnel of light happenings.

_Let me consult the roster I have racked up, one scoop of graveyard dirt dug due to a mindless jock behind the wheel of a large van, one near death experience thanks to a tracking lunatic, one to a broken heart, one to a leap from a cliff, one thanks to a temporarily suicidal vampire, one to a vengeful bitch of a mate, and one hostage exchange. _

Honestly, I was impressed by my own misfortune. I mean that had to be some sort of world record right?

I wondered aimlessly about where Raph, Lindy and Ivy were? Had they escaped? Would they be killed? Did I care? I mean they had been the ones to drag me here and nearly allow venom to trickle through the veins of my neck. But they had been trying to save their sister, their best friend, the one they loved. Could I honestly be angry with them? No, their reasoning had been understandable. But would I mind if they died?

My thoughts stuttered over themselves, screeching to a halt as the closet door was yanked open and shoved shut, silently. Whoever had entered did not move immediately, staying pinned against the doorway. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that if it had been an enemy who had entered that God be merciful on my soul and disallow too much pain upon my skin.

I counted to one hundred before I cringed as movement stirred the air. The cool whisper caressed my cheek, sending my chest into another heave.

"Bella?" His voice had never sounded more soothing and I couldn't help but press myself into his chest, ignoring the pain screeching through my arm and head. He nuzzled his nose into the curve of my neck, his cool breath sending shivers down my collarbone. "Bella, Bella, Bella." Edward lifted me swiftly from the ground, securing me into his chest.

The thin fabric of his shirt brushed against my cheeks, he was not dawning one of the flowing capes, for which I was very grateful.

"Hold on, Bella." He whispered into my ear, his lips skimming over my cheeks. "I can't lose you again." I nodded in concordance, pulling my face deeper into his shoulder. I felt the wind ripping past me and billowing through my hair and shirt.

My head pulsed angrily with every gulp of air I gasped, each pang accompanied by a beat of red behind my eyelids, and my arm shook in agony. I felt the fresh breeze of open air as we emerged above the surface; I drank in the new air. I felt the black spots before I saw them. I tugged feebly on Edward's shirt.

"Edward…" I winced as my head screamed, "my head hurts."

And then the velvet darkness encroached me once more, cradling me seductively in its angled arms.

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_Author's note- leave me an encouraging review to dull the awful pain of the education system! so that i may continue as i wish with this story!!!_


	5. Chapter 5: Feathers of an Angel

_Author's note- HAPPY BIRTHDAY BELLA! Actually not for another 9 minutes. enjoy!_

_Disclaimer. _

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**EPOV**

I ran through the cobblestone streets, my eyes creased in worry as I stared down at my love, my jaw tense in preparation for any enemy that could appear to impede our escape. I kept to the shadowed alleys, slipping in and out of the areas lacking in sunlight.

Bella lay collapsed in my arms, her hair soaked in blood, some of which had dried across her face. Her right arm was in shambles, limply hanging next to her body, I could hear the splinters of bone scratching against each other as her small body rocked with my run.

I had allowed so much pain to rack her fragile skin. It had been my fault. This bore on my shoulders. It was my responsibility to keep her safe. Instead I had let her get carried away, offered up as bail. I snarled in disgust at the pathetic excuse for a monster that I was. I didn't deserve her. I didn't deserve to even touch her.

_Edward, hurry. Emmett just carried Jasper back to the car; he got really screwed up back there. Just hurry, please._

Rosalie's voice sounded pleading as she signaled me through her thoughts. What had I done? How much damage had I caused?

I felt the rock of sorrow surge in my throat as I glanced down at my unconscious Bella. How much would have to nearly destroy her before she realized that I wasn't worth it? That she deserved a true hero? That deserved someone who could truly protect her?

_Edward! Hurry, someone's following us._

Esme's worried train of thought tensed my shoulders further; I listened intently for any sign of foreign thought from an assailant. Alice and Esme had staked lookout at the back entrance to the castle. It had been Alice's idea to steal the cloaks to disguise Emmett and Jasper. Who would've known that the guards would've been daft enough to walk straight into that trap…well actually Alice would know.

I let out a brief sigh of relief as Carlisle's BMW came into view just outside the fortress-like entrance to Volterra. It revved its engine as I approached and slid into the back seat, cradling Bella between my arms. Carlisle glanced back and jumped swiftly into the backbench with us as Esme slammed the driver door shut already speeding down the winding road.

I peered back and relaxed slightly as Rosalie's silver car flew out from behind the fortress wall, I could see the four passengers clearly. All of us were accounted for. I laced my fingers with Bella's kissing the ring atop her fourth finger, which smelled of Aro. I recoiled and growled at the mere image of the Volturi master being that close to Bella, and actually touching her.

"This is bad." Carlisle shook his head as he lifted some of Bella's hair searching lightly with his fingertips for the laceration that had cause such extensive blood loss.

"Esme are you alright?" I inquired, suddenly sickened about the proximity of Bella's blood and my mother's untrained nose. She nodded quickly rolling down the window and sticking her face into the wind. I could tell from the position of her shoulder blades that she was no longer breathing. I nodded concisely glancing back down to the broken angel in between my elbows.

_I haven't seen a head wound this bad in many years._

"Not too bad? Right Carlisle?" My voice shook with tremulous emotion. I felt the trembles in my hands as I reached down to stroke Bella's cheek. A paralyzing guilt bit through my veins, causing my chest to constrict in agony.

"I don't know, Edward." He leaned closer to her, examining her scalp from a tighter angle. "These are really severe." My knuckles flexed as I clenched my hands, clamping my teeth together. "I'm sure you can smell that she's still bleeding, not as badly as before but for her to have bled this much, for this long." His hair reflected sunlight as he shook his head worriedly from side to side. "Well, I don't have to tell you what that means." He shut his eyes for a moment placing his fore and middle finger against the pulse in her left wrist.

_1…2…3…her pulse is barely here._

Another ten seconds passed before he counted a fourth beat.

_Edward._

"I know." I whispered holding Bella's tiny hand within mine.

_Edward._

"I know!" I roared, pulling Bella into my lap and tucking my nose beneath her chin, I began to sob violently.

_You knew it would come to this sooner or later, Edward._

Carlisle's fraternal comfort was nothing more than irritable cliché that I couldn't bear to face at this moment in time. Esme chimed in next.

_It'll be alright, Ed. Calm down. You were ready to do this without any catalyst a week ago. You're strong enough._

I couldn't do this. Not like this. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I didn't want to _have_ to change her. I wanted to have her wish it to be. I didn't want to enslave her soul because I was selfish enough to keep her here forever instead of letting it be released into the heaven were it belonged. I couldn't.

I studied Bella's face, the slight slope of her nose, the pink stain in the skin of her cheeks, the ellipse of her swollen pout, the dip of her chin. I couldn't.

She had second-guessed last time. She had drowned in the wave of emotion that had overtaken her at the final moment. The idea had given her the most intense panic attack Carlisle or I had ever seen. I couldn't bear to force her into something that had caused her that much pain before, not even regarding the physical pain that would accompany the change. I couldn't.

Bella's dark eyelashes fluttered in the wind from Esme's window, I felt my heart clench tightly in my ribs.

But we had argued over this for the entire time we had been together. She had been absolutely secure in that she had wanted the eternity…the blood-thirst…the conscience of a murderer. Could I give that to her? Why would anyone ask for that?

_Because she loves you._

Jasper's thought startled me out of my own contemplation. I hadn't expected his input. Of course he could feel everything I was, probably tiring of this internal battle.

Why would she love me?

What could I offer her? Pain, broken bones, multiple trips to the hospital, skin of stone. Not such a substantial list.

Why would this angel waste her time with such a demon?

_Edward your stubbornness is giving me a headache, these visions are changing by the second. She loves you. She loves us. Give her the gift she's been asking for, ever since she discovered our secret._

Did I dare tear the wings off of an angel and throw them to the pits of hell?

For some reason at that moment the memory of burning Victoria came to mind, I could still smell the sticky sweet humidity that pulsed from the pluming columns of soot.

What would the feathers of an angel smell like as they were eaten up in flames?

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_Author's note- Leave ur thoughts, they mean a lot. _


	6. Chapter 6: Wings of Obsidian

_Author's note- Thank you for the reviews everyone. They really keep me going :) Alice's thought was written by ALTA better known as ALittleTooAddicted._

_ALTA left the idea on a review, and i thought it was beautiful and decided to paste it in here with a few minor word changes. _

_As always, enjoy the chapter, leave ur thoughts._

_Disclaimer._

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**EPOV**

"Where do we take her?" My voice trembled, matching the fibers of my dead heart vibrating in fear.

What if I couldn't stop? What if I killed her?

My throat closed and threw me forward in a sob.

_Careful, Edward! You cannot jostle her around like that!_

Carlisle whisked Bella from my arms, holding her delicately away from my convulsing being.

What if I sucked her dry? I felt as if the terror in my stomach was shoving up my throat, giving me the insane reflex to gag.

"We can't take her back to Ipswich! The Volturi must know about our house there by now." I gulped huskily; desperately trying to suppress the sick dread of what was to come, what had to be.

"Elijah's." Carlisle replied dryly, tearing the sleeve of his shirt off to tie as a tourniquet around Bella's arm. "This should at least dull the pain through the elbow…hopefully." He whispered, trailing off towards the end.

Elijah, the photographer from the wedding.

"He lives here?" Esme asked quietly from behind the wheel. Carlisle shook his head, no.

"He has a villa just outside of Cecina for vacationing." I flinched as Bella whimpered softly from Carlisle's arms. I looked at him, pleadingly offering my arms up for the wounded angel.

He gently set her into me, and I immediately drew her in. I soaked in her scent, holding her warm chest against mine. I bent my lips down to her ear, stroking a stray piece of air out of the way.

"I will never leave you, Isabella. Hold tightly to me, to my voice. I will never let you suffer again." I skimmed my lips over the hot, sensitive skin at the back of her jaw. "Stay with me, Bella. We'll be together soon enough, equal soon enough."

I did not pay one wink of attention the rest of the drive. I paid attention only to Bella. I drank in every single iota of her ethereal being.

Once we arrived at the Tuscan building I rushed her in, barely pausing to open the door. I went straight to the over-sized couch in the center of the grand foyer.

"Please God, forgive me for this. Forgive me for stealing away one of your angels, let her feel the least amount of pain necessary, Lord. Punish me with the brunt instead, I beg of you. In your son Jesus' name I pray, Amen." My frozen heart clenched at the end of the prayer, realizing the extent of what I was stealing. Bella's soul. Her warmth. Her blush. Her heartbeat. Her wings.

Alice's usually chirpy voice swam through me, soothing and slow, with a clairvoyant sureness that I could not refute.

_She's your angel. She'll always be an angel, only after; her wings will be the silky black of midnight rather than the twinkling white of snow. Equally as beautiful, and just as pure, if not more so. She wants this. It'll be ok._

I smiled weakly at her, and she ran over and gave me a tight squeeze around the waist. She peered up at me, her eyes wide with sympathy.

"I love you. She loves you. I love her. It will be fine, I promise." She tightened her arms around me once more before prancing back to Jasper's side.

_Ready, Edward? _

Carlisle stood behind me, placing a hand of steady comfort upon my shoulder.

Ready? To steal Bella's humanness away?

Prepared? To sacrifice her to the flames of damnation?

Equipped? To force a monster into the middle of a being that was full of such divine light?

No. No I was not ready, prepared, or equipped to do any of those things.

But was I ready to have Bella at my side for the rest of Father time's hourglasses?

Prepared to be with her for the rest of eternity, in a heaven that only exists between the two of us?

Equipped to preserve her, in present state, until the ends of the world?

Absolutely. My angel would have the most intoxicating wings, the color of obsidian. The soot of the changing flames would cling to the feathers, binding them to the night, strengthening them to withstand the tests of all time, drenching them with the color of ash.

I leaned in close to her throat, swallowing in the beat of her pulse that sang from beneath the skin. I placed my nose at the base of her collarbone; my nostrils flaring at the scent that could make me go woozy.

I felt the venom spilling at the back of my tongue, washing over my teeth. My heart panged sickeningly against my ribs in anticipation. I bent closer to her, my sharp knives millimeters from the skin. I suddenly pictured the scarlet liquid as it flowed generously down my throat, warming me in a way that I hadn't felt in years. I could practically taste the hot, thick sustenance as I breathed in her perfume. It was too easy to imagine the feeling of the steady pulse beneath my tongue, timing with my gulps. I could feel the heat of it even being above the skin, after I pierced it the blood would flow so much more freely, filling me in a way that satisfied what I had evolved to need, to crave, to hunt. I felt my eyes go vacant with lust.

The horror of my thoughts hit me in the face harder than a freight train; I staggered back to the wall. Clinging desperately to the mantle, I shut my eyes against the vicious predator that had crept up and into my mind.

"Carlisle!" I gasped, terrified by the weakness. I tensed my neck as Bella's scent flew into my nose. "I can't do it, Carlisle!" I screamed, shoving the knuckles of my hands into my eye sockets, disgusted by the Achilles heel that I had feared so vehemently.

_Edward, you've resisted before. You've saved her before._

Memories of Phoenix flashed through Carlisle's mind.

"I can't do it now, Carlisle! I'll kill her!" I cried helplessly, cringing against the hard surface behind me. "I can't do it!"

_Edward, she'll die if she doesn't get changed. _

"Change her, Carlisle. Please." I whispered, now cradling my head between my knees on the ground, the severity of my near loss of control lashing against the walls of my body like a whip.

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_Author's note- rant. rave. protest. scream. whatever you would like to do, leave it in a review. nice little rhyme there if you didn't catch it. i must be a poet at heart. not really actually, i'm awful at poetry. anywaysssss leave me a thought... or a yell. i like those too._


	7. Chapter 7: Scars and Tourniquets

_Author's note- Enjoy, a bit longer than the last few. So leave me a loving review!_

_Disclaimer._

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**EPOV**

After having stifled my inhumane desires enough to be by her side I hurried to it. Her lips were parted slightly, her expression peaceful. It seemed so contradictory as the streaks of blood had dried a dark plum color, looking like gashes across the fragile skin. Her hair was tangled and unruly, tousled and spun in different directions, disguising the hideous wounds beneath it.

My fingers quivered as I pulled two of them down the warm skin of her cheek, allowing them to then trace her lips. I folded my arms around her, knotting her into my limbs. I held her back against my chest and pressed my face into the valley between her neck and shoulder. My chest racked with tremors tearlessly behind Bella, bracing her for the wound as Carlisle leaned forward, his teeth bared.

"STOP!" Alice demanded, shoving her arm against Carlisle's chest, pressing him away from Bella. She looked me straight in the eye, her stare narrowed and imperious.

_Don't let him do it, Edward. You can. _

I disagreed, shaking my head silently against Bella's skin, still holding my breath.

_Edward your love for her is like the air she breathes, it's what keeps her healthy. Loving you, and having that love returned is what keeps you both sane. You complete each other in a way no one else will ever be able to. Now that she is to join us, she should be completed physically by the one who completes her in every other way. _

My chest heaved again, rustling Bella a bit. I only heard one word tumble from those ambrosial lips, murmured and hazy, as it was it made my dead heart trumpet in glory.

"Edward." She whispered in a volume almost too soft for even me to detect. Her eyes didn't flutter, nor did her heart rate rise. I took a deep breath, letting the scent of her drown in my lungs.

_You can do this, Edward. Trust yourself. _

Alice left to return to Jasper's side, her arms crossed and her expression worried. I glanced at Bella once more feeling my mouth form into a terrified grimace and then a determined line. Bella was mine, and would be, forever. I forced my eyes shut, damming my nostrils from any inhalation.

The skin of her neck radiated heat as I neared her, my lips brushing against it first. I bit quickly, trying to ignore the taste in my mouth. It was the last thing I was able to do. The blood seeped into my mouth, filling it from cheek to cheek, sliding effortlessly down my throat. It caressed my tongue and the back of my throat, easing the burning with its sweet flavor and scorching temperature. I felt my mouth empty of venom and quickly detached my teeth from her.

Two crescent moons of crimson stood out against the ivory skin. It was irreversible now. Nothing could stop the transformation at this point. I tilted myself down to the broken skin, kissing it lightly before whispering to Bella.

"I'll be here, the entire time, I'll never let go of you." I entwined my arms further around her middle, drawing her sunken shape into mine. "Trust me."

I could feel the temperature beneath her skin rising with each passing moment. I pulled her deeper against me, hoping my frigid skin would dull at least some of the pain. Like a tourniquet. I couldn't prevent what I had caused, but I could attempt to stifle the agony as best as I could.

**BPOV**

I felt the heat before anything else. The sweltering breath of a dragon, breathing heavily upon my motionless form, consuming me in its flame.

The pain from inside came thereafter, from the interior walls of my veins and arteries, beating strongly, only distributing the anguish further.

It was as if I had been injected with the poison of Lucifer, his revenge against the heavenly beings who had exiled him to Hades. The angels would have to watch as the things they loved suffered at their own demise. I knew Edward was watching. I had heard his vow of accompaniment through my pain. It only made me withhold all the screams that I was able to. It wasn't fair to punish him for something I had requested.

To describe the feeling is nearly impossible, like a swarm of furious fire ants, marching ruthlessly through your body, intravenously. They tore through each fiber of body tissue their claws could touch, incinerating it into the most hellish hurt a person can experience.

I writhed against the misery, trying to wriggle out of Satan's bonfires. I nearly ruptured my lung as I choked on the blackened smoke of the fires engulfing my entirety.

Perhaps I had died and gone to Hell. This had gone on longer than three days I knew it. This pain was endless, soon enough I felt as if my being evaporated completely, leaving only the torture of my wish behind.

Only one thing kept me hanging on for dear life, and that was the haunting sound of my lullaby, wafting easily between my ears. I focused on the crescendos and gentle sloping of the notes, I sang along in my head, imagining Edward's skillful fingers pirouetting across the piano keys. I attempted to envision each note, anticipating its arrival before its peak hit. This did nothing to dull the pain, but encouraged me to push through, to bear this scarring memory.

I cried out only once, as the fires bit through the ventricles in my heart, shutting it down with their debilitating thrashes. I whimpered as quietly as I could as the ice invaded its once living walls, thickening it to the cold, bracing it with stone. It felt heavy in my chest, and my lungs struggled to inflate around it.

My eyes did not open as soon as I felt the last degree of warmth fizzle away. I stayed as still as the granite that I had become, pacing my breaths evenly. I felt Edward's arms around me; I could hear him muttering in a muffled manner, praying to God that I made it through this. My now dead heart cringed at the thought of causing Edward this kind of pain, for something I had asked for so many times.

My eyes fluttered open to the blinding light; I forced them shut immediately, cowering into Edward's chest, which no longer felt cold.

"Bella?" I nodded slowly into his chest, snaking my arms around his middle and snuggling into him.

I felt him smile into my hair and breathe a response. "I am so glad you're alright."

I opened my eyes finally gazing upon the crooked smile that still gave me butterflies. I felt a subdued burning at the base of my throat, and knew immediately what it meant.

"Thirsty?" Edward asked, his tone concerned. I nodded slowly, trying to rub at the ache in my neck with my thumb. He instantly let go of me, rising from the couch. He motioned for my hand, leading me to an attached room. I realized probably a little late that I had no idea where we were.

The family awaited me through the doorway with eager smiles and open arms. I was suddenly surrounded with hugs and words of encouragement and love. I smiled widely, knowing immediately that this was my family, and would be forever.

"We should hunt." Edward voiced, interrupting his family's greetings. They all nodded knowingly.

"We'll have to be careful, the clouds are scattered." Jasper said quietly, moving the curtains from the window with his hand.

I turned to follow Edward as he pivoted. I stopped short, the blaring red of my eyes catching my attention in the mirror across the room.

I appeared in front of it, barely remembering moving towards it. My mouth fell open in awe.

"I…I'm-" I stuttered, Edward's arms twisted around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Stunning." He finished, grinning wildly into our reflections. My hair was a richer color of brown, cascading to the middle of my torso, diverting in romantic yet subtle waves. My cheekbones were a little higher, a little more pronounced. My eyes had rounded in shape, the eyelashes framing them thicker and blacker. My lips were swollen and had a fevered look to them. My hips had filled; the cinch of my waist had tightened, my breasts were a little fuller and sat nicely against my chest.

The clothes that rested upon me were ragged and torn, bloodstained and filthy. My eyes were the only surprising part, their piercing color making my hands shake. Edward moved the hair on the left side of my shoulder over to the right, twisting all of my hair together and draping it over. I gasped throatily, clutching to the side of my throat. I lifted a few of my fingers, desperately hoping that I was imagining things, the charred black was still underneath my palm.

Edward clasped his hand around my wrist, pulling my hand away from my throat and stroking the odd blackened shapes.

"This is where I bit you." He whispered, I shivered involuntarily. His forehead creased as he stared more intently at the scar. "It didn't look like this before."

Alice approached us, moving between Edward and I and standing on her toes to observe. She smiled and looked at Edward, he returned the grin after a few seconds, and unheard exchanges obviously had influenced him. He tilted my head and looked more closely at the spot, his eyes brightening.

"What is it?" I pleaded, wringing my hands.

"Look closer, Bella." Edward gently pushed me towards the mirror; I focused on the two marks. I felt like one of those therapy patients, trying to discern the true shape of inkblots. My eyes widened and I gasped quietly as realization dawned my wake.

"They're wings." I smiled, lightly running the tips of my fingers over the feathered polygons.

"See? I always told you, you are an angel." I smiled at him, lacing my fingers in his hair and pulling his lips against mine.

The others came forward to see the odd scar, Esme cooing delightedly at how pretty it was.

"We should go, we'll find something close by if we leave now." Alice chimed lightly from across the room, warming me with her loving smile. I nodded and followed the rest of the Cullens back into the foyer and into the fresh air.

They began to scan the landscape, which was lovely, the rolling green hills only small bumps compared to the mountains of Washington. I marveled at my heightened senses, noticing the birds flying through the air a mile or so up, the rumble of a car engine passing by a couple miles to the left. I immediately sensed the smell of blood even in the stagnant air. Although the ache in my throat told me I was thirsty, I felt no propelling force towards the scent. I turned into the direction of the smell, believing that everyone was simply waiting for me to set the course. I set off with determination, the wind of running feeling as if it were freeing my soul.

"Bella?" Edward called from behind me, quickly catching up as I slowed at his command. "Where are you going?" He looked at me, his expression confused.

"We're hunting right?" Now I was the one that was confused. He nodded slowly.

"Well I was following something I smelled." My brow furrowed, was I doing this wrong?

"You smelled something?" Edward asked, his tone surprised. I consented. He glanced towards Alice, raising an eyebrow.

"There's a herd of goat about four miles down that way." She pointed in the direction I had been running, no doubt consulting a vision of our approach.

"That's unusual." Carlisle noted, crossing his arms. "None of us smelled a thing."

Edward's smile widened wickedly as he met Carlisle's gaze, causing me to gulp.

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_Author's note- a much anticipated chapter. let me know how i did on it :)_


	8. Chapter 8: Extraordinary

_Author's note- Enjoy thoroughly. Then let me know if you did or not. lol. i can never be sure. _

_Disclaimer. _

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**EPOV**

I hung behind to observe as Bella stalked the unworthy prey. She was graceful and very lithe, slipping close to the ground her focus remaining on the subjects. It was nearly comical, comparing her adorable clumsiness as a human to the inherent grace of her new form.

The predator in her seemed intrigued by the obstacle of taking one's life, but not overtaken by her senses. She looked in control. Carlisle glanced over to me, grinning through the side of his lips as she finally decided on one to conquer.

Her consumption of the sustenance was quick, painless for the animal. She finished and sat onto the ground, gently setting the empty carcass in front of her and staring at it with a furrowed brow.

I stepped up behind her, cradling her into my arms.

"Are you okay, Bella?" I stared deep into those pools that had recently turned the color of a rose petal. The looked pained for a moment as they peered back at the dead animal but then regained composure as she sighed.

"Yes…I still feel bad though." She looked down to her fingers, which were fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "But I can think of a few situations I would have felt worse about." She stepped down from my arms and went to the animal, softly petting the hair of its neck before adjusting back into my arms. "Plus, my throat seems much calmer now." I nodded understandingly, noting the sullen tone in her voice.

The rest of the family and I finished off the herd and began heading back to the villa.

_We need to discuss the game plan. We need to know where we are going from here. _

I nodded towards Carlisle acknowledging his thought.

_Plus, I'm interested in whether or not Bella has extraordinary talents._

I smirked at the beautiful girl running beside me, our fingers interlocked, her hair billowing in the wind, revealing the two small wings on the side of her neck. She was extraordinary.

We stepped through the large wooden door at the front of the house, congregating in the foyer that had been desolate with the death of a heart only a few hours before. I sat onto the largest couch, opening my arms so that Bella could plop into my lap.

"Bella, we wanted to start by welcoming you to the family," Carlisle began; I tightened my grip around her waist, no longer needing to worry about crushing her. "We couldn't be happier that you have finally joined us." He smiled kindly at my wife, who if still human would have been blushing madly.

"I'm just thankful that you would have me." She whispered, nuzzling closer into my chest. Esme smiled warmly at us, congratulating me in her mind.

_You two are perfect for each other. I've never seen you this happy._

I felt my smile grow with joy.

"So Bella, on the hunt you smelled the animals much before any of us did, providing Alice with a vision of how far away they actually were." Carlisle continued, staring intently at the newest addition to our family. My mind had been cranking out reasons behind that moment ever since Carlisle had mentioned it being a possible power. It seemed elusive at first before dawning on me with ridiculous clarity.

"Bella could smell blood a mile away even as a human." I started; Bella shifted onto my left knee, maneuvering so she could watch my face.

"Remember the day I skipped biology junior year?" I asked. Bella smiled at the memory, nodding. I turned to explain to my family. "Bella got nauseous the day they were blood typing, she hadn't even pricked her own finger yet. Once I had taken her to the nurse's office she told me that blood smelled of rust and salt. I chuckled to myself that day, noting that humans couldn't smell blood." I peered up at her, noticing the understanding in her eyes. "I don't think it's a power, I just think her sense of smell, especially in detecting blood, simply intensified as greatly as her other senses did."

Everyone agreed with my conclusion.

"Makes sense." Emmett acknowledged, "So what's her real power?" He questioned, "Still have the balance of a hyena," coming over and shoving Bella on the shoulder. He fell back onto the floor with a loud bang from the effort, it seemed as if Bella hadn't even noticed.

"Mmmm. I like this much more now." Bella snickered evilly as Emmett sulked.

"Her newborn strength will rival yours…for the first few months at least." Alice stated dryly, only smiling after seeing the upset expression that crept up Emmett's features.

_She'll get it sooner or later._

Emmett chimed. I looked back up to Bella questioning her with my expression.

"Noticed anything different Bell?" Alice asked. Biting down on her bottom lip and no doubt searching for any peculiarities, she shook her head.

"Really?" Carlisle asked, slightly surprised. "I'm sure there's something here, you having a closed mind to powers, perhaps we will just have to excavate to find it the gem." Bella shifted nervously in my lap. "Try focusing on the fact that your mind is impenetrable." I saw Bella's eyes close and her focus turn inward.

I jumped up from the couch as the silence pressed in on my ears, threatening to suffocate my chest. I hadn't had the absence of thought between my ears for over a century, my dead heart did a skidding lurch across my chest.

Everybody stared at me, Bella looking shell-shocked as she let my arms fall from around her. The thoughts immediately returned.

_What the hell._

Jasper.

_What'd she do?_

Emmett.

_Ah, intriguing._

Carlisle.

"I'm sorry." Bella said, her voice shaking. She reached out for my hand, which I worriedly grabbed. This time the voices did not depart. "What happened?"

"Nothing." I answered dazedly. Everyone stared at me, implying the nonsense of my response.

"I mean that, for the first time in over a century I heard nothing of anyone else's mind." Everyone's eyes widened, their smiles soon followed.

"So as a human she was able to prevent people from invading her mind, disabling their power in that area." Jasper mused, more to himself than anyone else. "And now she's able to disable them completely, from use on anyone."

"When in contact." I added, contemplating the newest hypothesis. The pieces seemed to fit. Carlisle shook his head, rising from the loveseat.

"I don't think contact is necessarily a must." He pushed a hand through his hair and beckoned Bella forward. She stepped cautiously, her eyes locked with Carlisle's. He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her back to face me.

"Try again." Carlisle said, stepping back from her. Her eyes creased as she stared at me, attempting to silence the thoughts within my head once more. I couldn't help but sigh at the beauty that seemed now to shine even more brightly.

Her flawless skin looked like porcelain beneath the natural light of the dusk, her lips were deliciously shaped and undeniably luscious…and the way the shirt tightened over her chest…or the way her hips stretched the denim waste of her jeans…

It took all the restraint I had to disallow the pounce my body wished to fever her with; I drank the air of the room in slowly, savoring the bits of it that held Bella's still irresistible scent. That part hadn't changed. It seemed only to have intensified, and to my complete surprise and utter gratefulness I felt hunger only for her body now, lust only for her heart.

"I don't think it's doing anything, Carlisle." Her lips moved, I noticed as I had been concentrating on them solely for the past few moments. I had been too enthralled in her face to even attempt to listen for the thoughts of others.

"Try again. I wasn't focusing." I murmured, concentrating on the room now, attempting to stay in the here and now versus getting sucked into Bella's beauty again…which was hard to resist. Jasper chuckled beneath his breath, knowing exactly what I _had _been focusing on.

I stared at her furrowed brow, reveling in the fact that my head was empty of anything that was not my own. I smiled small, her eyes brightening at the sight.

"Nothing." I remarked. "Absolutely empty." I saw her focus fall and felt the hinder lift.

"Incredible." Esme whispered, grinning widely. The entire family seemed pleased. All except Rose of course, who stalked out of the room haughtily.

_One stupid power and she thinks she's better than us all. It's no cover for the rest of her cliché antics. _

I growled deep in my chest as I eyed her receding figure, hoping she heard me.

"One of the most powerful quirks that I have seen in a long time." Carlisle mused, returning to Esme.

"Extraordinary." I closed the space between Bella and I, drawing her lips against mine.

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_Author's note- Leave a review. pretty please ;)_


	9. Chapter 9: Genre of Monsters

_Author's note- It's been a while and I apologize. i was lacking in necessary inspiration. this is fluff. and a lemon. for i realize that i have had little of that in this story so far. enjoy!_

_Disclaimer._

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**BPOV**

The house in Denali was more stunning than I had anticipated. Its high, reaching ceilings and thick tree trunk pillars gave it a freeing atmosphere. The house was large, bigger than the one in Forks actually.

The only room I cared about was sprawled in front of me. The crisp, white light of the Alaskan morning poured in through the two vertical windows across the western wall. Edward's CDs were stacked, in chronological order, against the northern wall. The windows and music collection were connected by the surround sound stereo that filled the entire corner and half of the combined walls. There was no couch in this room, which I may have been disappointed about if there hadn't been a California king size bed in the southeastern corner instead. It sat upon an elevated portion of the dark wooden floors, its four posters nearly touching the high ceilings and its royal blue bedding soaking in the light of the room.

I collapsed onto the bed, sighing loudly. Moving in had taken much more effort than I had expected. Not really in the transportation of belongings aspect since each of the Cullens' houses remained furnished at all times. It was all of the legal documentation: the falsified school degrees, licenses, birth certificates, and background stories. It was all ridiculously draining and tedious. I didn't feel like sleeping, but I did feel tired. It was a weird mix.

"Sleepy, Bella?" Edward said, chuckling, and laying down next to me. I curled onto my side, pushing my face into his neck and cuddling into his shape. "I'll take that as a yes." He whispered, moving my hair off of my face and lying his head down directly across from mine so that he could stare into my eyes. I saw the reflection of my red eyes in his and quickly shoved up from the bed.

"What's wrong?" He grabbed my arm, pulling me back down.

"My eyes." I stated flatly, developing interest in the basic thread pattern of the comforter. They were the only things that bothered me about the transformation. They were such a sickly scarlet, resembling the syrupy dark color of the blood spilled onto the asphalt at the site of a car accident.

"They're beautiful." He placed a strong finger beneath my chin and pulled my face up to peer into his. I wrinkled my nose in distaste as the only thing I saw in his eyes was the reflection of my own.

"They're frightening." The words stumbled out before I had a chance to edit them, and of course I immediately realized the idiocy to them. To my surprise, Edward laughed at the statement.

"You forget that you're a monster now Bella." He surprised me even more by throwing his leg over mine and straddling my hips. I growled playfully up at him, appreciating the lightening of mood that he had thrown at me. "Frightening." He nodded, regarding my animalistic noise. "See you're a natural, a beneficial addition to the monster genre." I gave him a sarcastic glare and he returned a crooked smile.

I reached up slowly and began to rub the collar of his shirt between my fingers. And then I saw a spark in his eye that made my stomach turn in anticipation and debilitating lust. It tortured me the way he leaned towards my lips so slowly, and so I tucked my hand behind his neck and crashed my lips to his.

I suddenly felt the pressure of his entire body upon mine, no more careful hesitations. I felt my dead heart jump as his lips parted and began to move softly against mine, encouraging them to open as well. Oh and I was so willing to receive his tongue as it slipped gently through my lips. It was cold even against my own and it tasted amazing. I thought this change would only bring me frost, but how wrong I was.

I felt the fierce heat building in my stomach and pulsing heavily through the rest of me, each feeling of his mouth against mine intensified. He moved his tongue to my neck, twirling circles against the skin which was still as sensitive to touch as it had been before. I couldn't help the catch of breath in my chest as Edward pushed his hips against mine, wrapping his arms around my back and pulling me to a sitting position. He quickly threw my shirt away and stared in reverie at my chest. I took the opportunity to whisk his shirt away as well. This time I pushed him down, my legs straddling his. The perfectly sculpted abdominal muscles were knotted tightly beneath his skin. My tongue traced the contours of these muscles, his body shivering beneath mine. His back arched and a sultry growl rolled from his lips as my tongue ran across the tops of his jeans. I nimbly unbuttoned the pants before realizing that I had been flipped over once more.

Edward pressed his mouth against my chest, allowing his heavy breaths to brush over the skin. He slowly removed my bra, staring me in the face the entire time before lowering down to my breasts. I hadn't ever felt the passion as strongly as I did now. It fluttered in my stomach, pressing underneath my belly button and tugging me gently, longingly forward. I was hot now. Hot all over.

I gasped as his tongue passed over the peaks in my chest, one at a time, making slow circles with his mouth. His hands held me by the hips and I shuddered as one of them slipped beneath my skirt. He ran his fingers along the outside of my panties, teasing me, making me hotter than before if possible. I couldn't help but moan as he finally lifted the thin fabric and began to push me towards a climax. But before I reached it he slowly pulled out, kissing me lightly right below the belly button.

Confused as I was, I simply stared at him. Edward smiled as he lowered onto me once more, throwing the comforter over our twisting bodies. He gently removed the bottom half of my clothing and I grabbed at the sheets as I felt his hips meet mine and guide him into me. He was slow at first, rocking in time with our gasping breath and faltering resistance. His hands fell lightly down the curves of my body, savoring the new accentuations and the familiarity. As his rocks became stronger I wrapped myself desperately around him, clawing at the skin of his back. When we both released he threw his head back, sighing in ecstasy. As glorious as the tingles filtering through me were, it was more pleasurable to witness what I had caused in him.

He collapsed beside me, cradling me into his still shaking form. We lay like that until dusk, breathing each other in, twisted between the sheets. He trailed butterfly kisses along my cheek before pressing his lips against the spot where I knew my 'wings' were.

"Do you regret that I did this to you?" Edward's question was so quiet that I wasn't entirely sure that he had spoken at all.

"What?" I asked, still a step behind. Edward sat up to the side of the bed, taking the flat sheet and wrapping it around his waist. As if he needed any more help resembling a Greek god, the rich color blue made his skin practically glow and the toga-like wrap fell lazily around his muscular frame. He wasn't looking at me, and for this I was worried.

"You don't like the color of your eyes because they're the color of blood. Of your blood. Of the blood that used to run through your human body," he let his head rest in his hands, attempting to shove away the guilt. "You're eyes are the fiercest red I have ever seen. I literally feel at times as if you're peering straight through me."

"Do you think it's because I was your _tua__cantante_?" I didn't like to see him in such turmoil. I crawled quietly to his side and slumped into his lap. He gratefully twined his arms around me, sighing weightily.

"That's probably the most logical explanation."

"They'll fade to gold after a year right?" I suddenly was worried that I'd be stuck with the strikingly murderous irises forever.

"Correct." I let out a sigh of relief. I may not have been a normal human, but I could at least hope to be a typical vampire right?

He lowered his face to mine again, pulling my lips into his.

"I love you, Bella Cullen." I felt my chest sing in happiness. How could I be mad in the least that he had provided me with the gift that allowed me to spend eternity with him? It was more than I ever deserved.

"I love you, Edward."

"Forever." He reaffirmed.

"And every moment in between." I smiled into his embrace and felt secure in my future, for the first time in a very, very long while.

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_Author's note- Leave a lovely review. Fluff as it was, there were important elements to this chapter, where they ended up moving to...Bella's fear of being an abnormal vampire, lol...Edward's persistent guilt...and Bella's first reality check that she really does have all of eternity to spend with Edward._

_I have a plot lined up. But its shaky, and definitely revisable. any suggestions would be wonderful so don't hesitate to leave an idea or suggestion! i would love to hear them! or just a little encouragement. :) Kap. _


	10. Chapter 10: Avalanche

_Author's note- Read the A/N at the bottom. its really important :) ENJOY. _

_Disclaimer. _

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**BPOV**

I stared aimlessly into the dull sky above me. My head refused to quiet and I felt bad about torturing Jasper with my unreliable changes in mood. I had escaped to here. Not that I knew where here was, but it didn't really matter. I just needed to be alone with my thoughts. This solitude didn't last long, but I didn't mind the interruption. Edward stood at the edge of the clearing, relieved to have finally located me.

I smiled a bit and squeezed his hand as he lay next to me but did not break my gaze with the sky. Perhaps the answer would simply fall from the universe and hopefully hit me directly in the head. If only everything could be solved that way.

It was easy to determine that the Volturi weren't going to let me escape scathe-free. Not after having me so close to their claws and then snatched away, it had been too great a temptation. Surely not even the murder, I flinched at the word, of Lindy could satisfy their yearning now. It wasn't right for me to endanger the Cullens with my presence here.

I refused to wait for the Volturi to come crashing down upon us…all of us. It was my burden to bear, my score to settle, my talent they wished to witness. And possess. I instinctively tightened my grip on Edward's hand. He gave it a tight squeeze in return.

I could feel his worried eyes peering at me, but I refused to meet his face. My resolve would crumble too easily, especially if affected by Edward. It was so hard to do the right thing, to leave my family in order to protect them from my own assailants. But I owed this to them, they loved me; they had given me everything I had ever asked for and several thousand dollars' worth of unwanted gifts more.

I flinched as I heard the swift collapse of a snow peak on a far away mountain top.

"Avalanche," Edward said quietly, stroking the side of my cheek. I gladly pressed my face against it, turning to push my lips to his palm. "A large mass of snow detaching from a mountain slope and sliding or falling suddenly downward," I chuckled softly into his neck.

"Thanks. But I didn't need the definition," my laughter was refined. My mouth fell into a grimace as I really considered the statement. _A mass_…me. _Detached from a mountain slope_…distancing myself from the Cullens, to keep them safe, to surrender myself. They had been my mountain, always there, always protecting. And now it was my turn to protect them. _Sliding or falling suddenly downward_…to hell after the Volturi killed me for running away? Into the service of the guard if they decided to keep me?

I realized the paranoia plaguing my mind. Honestly, relating the definition of an avalanche to my life? It was far-fetched. But I still couldn't suppress the shudder that ran through me.

Edward stood brusquely yanking me up by the hand.

"We have to get back," he proclaimed, I felt the panic thrust up in my throat at the look in his eyes. The typically warm gold was flat and dull with panic.

"What's wr-" I was quickly interrupted.

"Now, Bella!" Edward snarled and he was then a mere blur ahead through the trees.

We ran fast, even for vampires. I nearly collided with at least a dozen trees on our way back to the house. The wind whipped at my hair and rubbed my cheeks raw. I could feel my heart, although dead, swelling with fear. What could have upset him so badly? But once we got within two miles of the property's boundaries I discovered exactly why we had been flying through the forest.

The thick smoke looked like a smudge across the sky. I could smell the ashes in the typically clean air. A strangled sob broke from my chest. I propelled myself forward faster, fleeing towards the mess of charcoal and smog.

There was an urgent thud in my chest. Not a heartbeat, but a solid pulsing of dread. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not after I had just decided to keep my family safe. It was obvious that I was too late. A brutal heat crashed behind my eyes. As a human it would have brought tears. But not now.

_Alice, Esme, Emmett, Carlisle, Jasper, Rose. _

_Alice, Esme, Emmett, Carlisle, Jasper, Rose. _

_Alice, Esme, Emmett, Carlisle, Jasper, Rose. _

I ran through the list in my head. The one thing that creates, and ironically is able to destroy a vampire is fire. The wave of heat blistered against my eyes once more.

They had to be alright. I couldn't face the plunge of misery in my middle at the thought of their deaths. It was too hideous to consider.

**EPOV**

I flew over the ruins of the house, combing the remains to assure that none of my family had been caught…or forced to remain inside of the house. The Volturi were still after Bella. But I would protect her. She was mine now, irrevocably, entirely, forever.

And then a hair-raising scream pierced through the thick smoke. A kind that sent a shooting alarm up my spine and made my heart crumple in terror. I instantly appeared next to Bella's collapsed and trembling figure.

"Bella. Bella. Bella! Isabella!" She refused to open her eyes and she had shoved her fist into her agape mouth. I followed her widened stare and my attention was drawn to something that was still consumed in flames, its sickly sweet smell impossible to forget.

It couldn't be. I winced as the flames licked at the body's face. The flowing brown hair and bound limbs were enough to supply her identity. But the murderers had left an engraved stone as well.

_Lindy Daly died in your place, Isabella Cullen. But the debt is far from paid. Keep yourself safe, we'll expect you to be in prime shape when we return for you. _

_Watch your step; you wouldn't want to watch anyone else simmer to death due to your behavior, would you? And next time we'll be sure to hit a little closer to home._

The fury that exploded beneath my skin made my limbs shake painfully. I heaved Bella off of the ground as she wailed into my chest, tucked the large flat stone into my pocket, and ran towards the place I knew my family would be.

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_Author's note- I hope you liked it! Leave me a review and let me know!_

_Also, we are at a Fork in the road when it comes to the plot. and i am having an impossible time deciding. sooo i would like everyone's opinions on what they think, would like, or believe should or will happen. that way i'll have opinions of the readers to go over while in the process of making the choice. _

_If you don't really have anything to anticipate or add to the poll then simply leave some love. Thanks guys! Kap._


	11. Chapter 11: Andromeda

_Author's note- I am so sorry for any confusion there was in the last chapter. Lindy Daly was the one killed, murdered by the Volturi. She was one of the trio, the brunette, Raph's sister. She had the fling with Demetri and after getting pissed off after Demetri requested that they stop seeing each other, she got herself on the Volturi's hit list. (Readjusting Ch. 29) The only way to avoid immediate annihilation, the trio offered Aro a trade, Bella for leaving Lindy alive. But after Bella escaped, it wasn't in the Volturi's best wishes to keep Lindy alive. To burn her inside and along with the Cullen house was a solid threat to the strong coven, the Volturi know where they are, and are all too eager to regain what they let slip through their fingers (Bella). _

_I hope that clears things up! _

_Disclaimer._

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**EPOV**

We had stayed with Eleazar and Carmen for a couple of weeks now, throwing around strategies, plea bargains, and plans of action against the relentless royalty of our kind.

They had been too quick to respond to Bella's escape. It was so out of character. And yet, it had happened, the Volturi were typically predictable. Three weeks hardly seeming a second's worth of time to them, yet they had come to us and lit fire beneath the conflict, both figuratively and literally. And now it seemed that we all lay to the mercy of their next move.

It had become inescapably clear that it was up to us to clean up this mess.

The cause of this mess was gazing up at me as she rested on my chest. Her deeply troubled eyes the intoxicating color of claret. I smiled down at her, _my mess._

She drew my lips into her full ones, causing the butterflies to gather in my stomach. No woman ever had the same effect on me that Bella did. And for that I felt blessed. So many people cross paths with six or seven creatures who would serve _well_ as their mate. Each pair possessing a lot but not all of the qualities necessary for success, for true love.

And for unknown reasons that I was sure to never discover I had found my destined, the visage of my definition of perfection. It was as if all of the qualities of my desire were compacted into one being, one angel, one ironically hell bound angel…

The kiss was sensual as it continued, her lips parting and gently urging mine to do the same. My mind continued to reel, my thoughts becoming increasingly hazy as Bella's body pressed firmer against mine.

"We'll get through this. Right, Edward?" Her eyes scorched into mine, pleading for reassurance. I cuddled her closer to me.

"Bella, we're together. And together we are invincible, in death and beyond," she smirked, void of humor, and tucked her chin into my neck.

_We're meeting downstairs, Edward. Bring Bella._

"Carlisle wishes that we join the family downstairs," I whispered into her ear. She glanced unseeingly to the wall, her expression contorting for a moment in guilt before she turned her gaze downwards and rose from the couch. She nodded and trotted in front of me out the bedroom door.

**BPOV**

"We _will_ fight with you, Carlisle," Carmen pressed. Her words rolled with the slur of her Spanish accent. Carlisle had no more ground on which to argue. After fiercely protesting that my own family fights for me, I didn't have any more strength to argue with the Denali Clan. And Carlisle had already done his best to convince the Alaskans that their help was not required.

I shoved up from the couch, refusing to hear anymore of the debate on who would and would not fight the Volturi. It was ridiculous that any of them would fight. This was my war. It was my entire fault. I attempted to pierce the skin of my palm with my sharp fingernails, any pain but this pain. Anything but guilt.

Jasper had retired a few minutes before to his balcony on the roof. And for some reason the only thing I craved was the open cavern that the clear Northern sky seemed. Relations between Jasper and I had warmed considerably since I had been changed. He know longer struggled to remain around me for long periods of time, and didn't flinch if our skin came into accidental contact. We even had conversations from time to time. It was a comfort to know that I was no longer a burden to him.

As I rose from the last step of the staircase his face was dead set, staring into the moon. Its milky light bathed his face in a way that made him appear godly. Part of this inhuman race or not, their beauty still astounded me. I saw that he realized my presence in the slight twitch of his mouth. My new eyesight allowed me to notice even the smallest of alterations in a person's facial expressions…which undoubtedly became incredibly useful with Edward and his facades.

The telescope sat angled in front of him, pointing towards a particularly noticeable constellation.

"Hey Jazz," I sighed and plopped into the seat next to him.

"Bella," he acknowledged, nodding slightly in my direction. It was silent for a while as we watched the moon's elliptical path across the sky, the stars blinking in and out of notice.

"The night used to be a time of turmoil for me," he spoke softly and I knew he was referring to his days with Maria. I shifted in my seat to face him and he continued without prodding.

"Perhaps that is why I seek such solace in its embrace now," he pulled the telescope towards him, turning different knobs and readjusting focuses.

"My life has been spun on its head so many times, human to vampire, warrior to predator, murderer to vegetarian, from an environment of spite and hate to one of love and trust," he motioned for me to look through the long lens that was now pointed at a specific point in the sky.

"Nothing is the same," he whispered to himself.

There was a collection of stars that beamed through the circle at the end of the tube.

"Andromeda," Jasper stated, gazing with his naked eyes at the constellation that the telescope was zoomed in on.

"It's beautiful," I noted.

"Andromeda was the princess of a Greek legend. The _Guardian of the Men_ is what she was called determined to save every love in her heart, but never herself. She was to be sacrificed due to mistakes of her family, thrown to the mouth of a vicious monster. However a lovely hero interceded, rescuing the damsel and later marrying her," I pulled my eye away from the looking glass to glare at the smirking Adonis.

"Sound familiar?" He questioned his tone still serious.

"A little too much," I grimaced, folding my fingers together and gazing up at the constellation once again. Jasper laughed quietly, shaking his head as he resigned into the seat next to me once more.

"You're too selfless for your own good, Bella," he stated dryly. The sigh that escaped me felt like it had leaked all strength from my body, leaving me deflated. I still remembered Lindy's charred form much too clearly, its crescent shape mangled crudely into my memory.

"I shouldn't have waited that long. I could've kept them from hurting her," the emotion built up behind my voice, forming a hard ball in my throat. An unnatural wave of calm relaxed out the knot. "Thanks," I muttered silently.

"They would have punished her regardless of your actions. It's the way they work. They show no weakness, no favoritism. At times they'll bargain for something they truly desire, but if not accomplished the punishment only becomes that much more severe," I began to tremble, only to be relaxed once more. "It is us who they are furious with," Jasper turned to face me, his expression stony. I shook my head in a show of dismissal.

It was me they wanted. It was power they wished for. It was greed that soured their characters and made them commit such awful things. They thought I would bring them that power, that edge on the competition, another skill to add to their infamous guard. I shook my head again, trying to shake the awful thoughts from between my ears.

"No, Bella," Jasper insisted. "Their score is indeed with our entire family. Their angry at us for stealing you away, for sneaking you out from beneath their very own noses. It was insulting to them, and now they desire you that much more. Not only for your power, for revenge. They wish again to illustrate the unyielding power of the Volturi, not to be underestimated by anyone. And certainly not to be deprived of something at the hands of a disgraceful 'vegetarian' coven."

I didn't dare proceed with such a topic. I had rushed up here in an attempt to escape the reality that seemed much more like a nightmare. I shifted the telescope a little, searching for anything intriguing.

The bright skin of the moon shone brilliantly through the layers of glass, peering straight down the scope and back at me.

"Jazz, what does the moon look like to you?" He chuckled a bit at my random change of subject but stopped to ponder the question.

"Lots of things, it almost signifies too much for me to place an image to its face," he replied, his head cocked to the side as he admired the looming rock.

"What does it look like to you?" He turned his attention to me this time. It didn't take me much time to answer.

"Like a bare light bulb in a curtain of black. Like a spotlight on a stage, highlighting the stars of the show," Jasper smiled at my response and nodded slowly, agreeing with the description.

"Isn't it amazing how no matter how much darkness threatens to consume…there's always a light. Even one small, arguably insignificant light can brave the darkest shadows, not to be extinguished but to shine brighter than before," he spoke quietly, glancing at the sun of the night as if it had suddenly revealed its greatness to him.

And as I returned my stare to the graceful satellite it looked much more valiant. I admired its strength; to overpower darkness was a fearful business. And I was about to experience it firsthand. But all I had to do was resemble the moon, the sole light through the obscurity.

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_Author's note- Leave me a review, if you'd please. _


	12. Chapter 12: Tour Guides

_Author's note- If only I had a gift to give you all for not hounding me about taking so long to update. A lot of stuff has been happening lately...some good, most bad. So I sincerely apologize for the wait but I hope you realize that it wasn't intentional. Hopefully you enjoy the newest installment. Review and let me know :)_

_Disclaimer._

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**BPOV**

"This worrying is making me sick." I muttered in a sour tone. "The least they could do is let us know when we should be prepared to fight for our lives."

Edward snorted at my sarcasm and closed the book he had been reading.

"I completely agree, Bella. We should let them know that battles should be scheduled, formal invitations required."

His response didn't tickle my mood at the moment and I just rolled my eyes at the wall.

"Yeah! Who knows when something more exciting could come up and fill our calendars." Alice chirped from the doorway. Edward discretely joined her in laughing.

"I have nothing to do all day but worry…its breaking me down." I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.

"That's about to change." Alice smirked from her position in the doorframe and I took it upon myself to spin and glare at her questioningly. Edward's arms secured around my waist from behind and twisted me to face him.

"Pause." Alice stuck her arm between us, making Edward growl lowly. She winced apologetically and produced a piece of folded paper.

"Alice, what did you do?!" I cried -the content of the papers still unbeknownst to me…but I had this odd feeling I wouldn't like what they had to say.

"Nothing…" she made small circles on the ground with her foot as Edward snatched the papers away. His expression went wide and I knew immediately that I did NOT want to know what those papers said.

"You put us back in high school!" Edward's ferocious roar even had me cowering, but not his sister. She simply smiled sweetly, with that devious spark in her eye and turned to take her leave.

"Oh no!" I yelled, following her into the hall, "you are not getting off that easy!"

High school? Honestly? Maybe I had ended up in Hell after all.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," Alice cooed, putting her hands up as a signal for me to calm down, "the fall semester for the university already began…plus think of it this way, you won't have to pay much attention since you've already learned it all!"

"That would work…" I feigned pondering the fact before blowing up again, "if I remembered _anything_ academic from my human life!"

Alice's eyes went wide and she suddenly looked a little scared.

"Oh yeah…" she mused, looking down at her feet.

"Sorry?" She spoke softly, opening her arms for a reassuring hug.

I groaned and pressed my back against the wall, sliding all the way down to the floor. My head fell into my hands and I ran my fingers through the thick brown hair.

"This is gonna suck." I confirmed, letting out a deep breath between my hands.

"Hey B!" Emmett called from down the hall. I shook my hand towards him as a pathetic excuse for a wave.

"What's the matter?" he asked, suddenly crouching in front of me.

"Ask her." I pointed at Alice who still resided a few feet to my left, calm as ever.

"What did you do?" Emmett turned to Alice, his tone simply curious.

"I signed us up for school." She replied. Emmett let out a booming laugh.

"That's going to be so boring for you guys!" He addressed Edward who was leaning against the wall just outside of our room.

"What do you mean 'you guys'?" Alice smirked and I swear I saw all humor literally get sucked out of Emmett's expression. "I signed you up too!"

Rosalie was fuming from her position on the couch.

"What were you thinking?!" She screamed at the little pixie who sat on the floor.

"We needed something to do besides sitting here worrying all day. Besides, I've heard the science department here is great!" Alice smiled reassuringly up at the blonde who returned it with a sickened grimace.

"Ugh, I _hate _science." Emmett complained, snuggling into Rose's arms.

"When are we supposed to start?" Jasper voiced from the other side of the room, having been more interested with the computer until now.

"Well, tomorrow actually." Alice seemed positively overjoyed. "We're supposed to be there at about 8:10 so that a student representative can give us a 'new students' tour."

"Kill me now," I groaned up to Edward, who was cradling me in his arms, "please?" He snickered softly and kissed my neck.

"Been there done that," he murmured into my ear.

That night before the first day of school passed painfully slowly. I spent most of the time chewing my fingernails nervously and fussing with my hair. At about six I heard a vicious Rose yell for Alice.

"What now, Rosalie?" Alice demanded from the top of the staircase.

"Why was this on my bed?" Rose was holding up a black jacket and matching pencil skirt.

"It's the required outfit for girls."

"Uniforms? We have to wear uniforms?!"

"It's a private school, Rose." Alice explained. "Plus, they're not that bad. Suits are in this season." Rose grumbled to herself and threw the garment across the house, stalking out of view.

I sunk into the couch in my bedroom and squished my face into a pillow; this was going to be unbearable. And then an even more nightmarish thought came to mind. How was I supposed to be around all those humans, and all day too? Sure I'd dealt with some from afar- way afar, as in ten miles or so- while we were hunting but for no more than a few seconds at most. And even then the faint smell was enough to distract me.

What if I ended up hurting someone? A grim panic grabbed my stomach and squeezed it until I was sure that I felt like throwing up.

"Bella?" A humored fairy stood by my closet, holding up an ensemble matching the one Rosalie had chucked.

"Alice, do I have to go?"

"It'll be fun, I promise!" Her voice was practically twinkling with delight. She laid the outfit on the bed and skipped out of the room. Edward appeared next to me and grabbed me into his chest.

"She's just trying to get our minds off of things." He attempted to comfort me as he gently stroked my hair. "She has good intentions."

"I know." I murmured into the fabric of his shirt.

Finally defeated, I shrugged away from Edward and headed towards the bed.

"What color shirt am I supposed to wear?" I yanked out a green top and a royal purple one. All the while I could barely hide the way my hands were shaking.

"The purple one will look nice." Alice sang from the room down the hall. I grinned just a little bit and pulled the soft fabric over my arms. I slid on the rest of my clothes and sat on the bed waiting for Edward to finish dressing.

He paraded out of the closet in a black pair of slacks and white button up shirt. God, how did I get so lucky?

The Greek God smirked at me and pulled an ivory down-feather coat out from the closet and threw it onto me. He grabbed a cashmere, lilac and cream striped scarf and wrapped it around my neck.

"But Edward, we won't be cold."

"Yeah, but normal people would be. And so we at least have to look cold." He smiled crookedly and my breathing fell short.

He grabbed a black parka and then we headed down to the living room to wait for everyone else. At the bottom of the stairs a rather irate Rose threw me a pair of furry black, knee-high winter boots while she shoved her feet into a pair of sweater wedges.

I kneaded my hands the entire car ride. Alice sat in the back seat with Jazz, Emmett and Rose drove separate. Edward grabbed my knotted fingers and his expression immediately turned dismal.

"Bella, you're shaking. What's wrong?"

"I'm just nervous." My voice even quivered. I couldn't show them that I was weak, especially not in this aspect. If Jasper could do it, so could I. I wasn't going to ruin this family. I felt my nerves dull a bit and gave a thankful nod in Jasper's direction.

"Bella, high school here's not so bad, believe me." Alice grabbed my shoulder and squeezed it gently.

"I'm not worried…" I trailed off, not wishing to express what was truly bothering me.

"What are you then?" Alice pressed. I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead against the car window. It almost hurt to say what I felt.

"Scared."

"Bella, what's there to be scared of?" Alice was the only one still asking, it seemed as if Edward and Jasper knew, most likely because they both had experienced the torture of what I feared most.

"Hurting people."

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The school was a beautiful private institution tucked into the woods a few miles down the road from town. The poor tour guide was so distracted by my family that he struggled to even explain the simplest elements. To my complete surprise it wasn't as difficult to abstain from attacking him as I thought it'd be. I could smell him so clearly…so potently, but there wasn't a huge pull on my instincts. That was something I'd definitely have to discuss with Carlisle later.

"You see, this is th-" he cleared his throat. "Er, this is the-"

"The cafeteria?" Rose rudely supplied. The young man cleared his throat again and nodded.

We waltzed through the carpeted halls, not paying much attention to the words of the guide, jumbled as they were. As the bell rang I felt Edward tense beside me but before I could ask him what was the matter I was overwhelmed with a sudden concentration of the smell of fresh blood.

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_Author's note- Leave your thoughts and you'll get a quote from the next chapter :)_


	13. Chapter 13: Surprises

**BPOV **

I couldn't seem to run and duck fast enough. The intensity of the perfume was clouding my brain over and screwing with my reason.

They all were so close…barely a few feet away. And I could feel the heat they radiated and hear their pulses screaming at me, taunting me.

My arm twitched as I nearly reached out to snag this small blonde boy who had bounded past us. He left a trailing scent in the hot air; I could practically follow it with my eyes.

I felt claustrophobic, like I was trapped in a fume hood of temptation and potential disaster.

Jasper's freezing hands restrained my arms and I violently shook my head, trying to clear it. I felt my eyes shift to a threatening black as a growl brewed in my chest. I struggled against Jasper's restraining arms as a group of them walked by.

"Get her out of here, Edward." Jasper whispered.

"C'mon." Edward demanded, yanking me into an empty classroom and through a door that led to a courtyard.

I immediately collapsed onto the snow covered ground, shaking with anxiety and panic.

"Edward." I cried into the snow. His steel arms locked around my ribs and pulled me up and into his chest. "Edward, Edward, Edward." I sobbed into his shirt. He ran a strong hand up and down my back.

"Bella, relax. You're okay, you're safe. Nothing happened."

"But something could have happened, Edward!" I clung to his solid form. "You don't know how close I was to…how easy it would have been!" I screamed, horrified by my own instincts.

"Yes, I do, Bella." He grabbed my face between his hands and leveled it with his own. His eyes burned with remorse as he gently pressed his lips to mine. "This was a bad idea, I'm so sorry." I sighed heavily into his shirt and cuddled into him. "Let's go home." He finished.

I couldn't bring myself to argue and he slung me into his arms and walked around to the front of the school. He set me down and paraded into the main office. I stayed outside of the door and heard a shrill woman's voice greet Edward.

"Hello," she paused and I could envision her blinking her eyes fiercely, "and what may I do for you today?"

"Good morning. My name is Edward Cullen, my family and I just transferred in."

"Oh, uh of course, th-the doctor's children." Her heartbeat was all over the place. I heard approaching footsteps and immediately held my breath. A tall thin girl shuttled past, her arms full of large books. Morbidly curious I sniffed the air as she turned the corner. I could acutely smell the metallic substance, but again as with the tour guide…I felt no pull towards it.

"I thought it necessary to inform you that Bella is not feeling well and will be returning home for the rest of the day."

"Oh alright, there's no problem there." I heard her pulse flutter and immediately knew that Edward was attempting to dazzle her, and no doubt succeeding.

"And I'll be taking her home, so if you could simply excuse us from classes today?" God I just wanted to get out of here, I sharply sighed and let my head fall between my peaked knees.

"Er-yes. Th-that will be done right away."

"Thank you so much." My gentleman replied and hurried back out.

**EPOV**

Carlisle's cavernous study was warm and I smiled a bit as I noticed Bella snuggle into the broken in leather love seat.

"Bella, you should be proud that you demonstrated that amount of strength, most newborns wouldn't have spared a single one of those children." Her mouth quivered as Carlisle regarded her.

"It was terrifying to feel like that, like a-" Her doe-like eyes widened as she winced at the word she had intended to say.

"Predator." I completed her thought. It tore me up to see her struggle like this. But it had been such a smooth transition; I knew this had to come at some point. I understood the self-hatred and despicable label that you branded yourself, _murderer_.

I had tried to tell her that this existence was agonizing; I had tried to convince her that we really were damned. But the thing that she didn't quite comprehend back then was that it wasn't simply the fact that you were a vampire that earned you a one-way ticket to Lucifer's army.

It was the thoughts that crossed your mind when an innocent child skipped past you, their scent mingling with the wind past your face. It was the churning of desire in your stomach when someone's blood particularly appealed to you. It was the amazing charm with which we'd been gifted, making it easier to lure our prey away from witnesses. It was the ravishing of light from another being, stealing their source of life away to satiate your own vulgar hungers.

That is what made vampires hell-bent.

"It was weird, Carlisle." Bella bit back sobs and crossed her legs on the short couch. "When it was just the tour guide, I didn't even want it that badly. It was when all those people came into the halls…"

The doctor looked at me, his eyebrows raised in suspicion.

_She didn't need to resist hurting the guide, the crowd was her struggle. Any other newly changed vampire would never have been able to resist such an ample proximity of blood. _

He thought. I tilted my head a bit, urging him to continue.

_She doesn't seem as drawn to blood as the rest of us…another human carry-over of our dear Bella's?_

He smirked in her direction. A drop of blood was enough to make Bella, when human, faint from nausea. Could that mean that it didn't appeal to her quite as much?

Perhaps that was why she had no trouble resisting one human…but the crowd…

That must have attracted her the same way a single person would attract any other newborn.

_ I wonder what other surprises our newest family member has in store for us._

Carlisle pondered while exiting the room.

"Many, I'm sure." I muttered to myself.

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_Author's note- same deal as last chapter :) a review earns a quote_


	14. Chapter 14: The Paper Game

_Author's note- A little family fun._

_Disclaimer- I own nothing of the Twilight series, no copyright infringement is intended._

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**BPOV**

It took me a total of three seconds to scan through every channel available from the satellite dish. Edward was to my left, his nose in a disgustingly fat volume of Latin script. I heard the whirring of vehicles' engines and the tiny pings the rain was making against the windshields as my siblings returned from school. Seconds later a tiny sprite had her arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders.

"Oh, Bella. I'm so so sorry." Alice's eyes were filled with sadness as she peered up at me. "This was my entire fault. I should have been more thoughtful about it…more careful."

I just patted her shoulders lightly and assured her that things were fine. Although on the inside, my heart felt like it was being stabbed with hundreds of needles whenever I thought about it, one for every family who could have lost a child.

"I'll make it up to you!" She sang. I immediately began to dread the next words out of her mouth. "We'll go shopping and you can pick out every single thing that you want!" I practically felt the color drain out of my already pallid face.

"No. No. No." I shook my head in defiance. "Please let my favor be a 'get out of shopping for free' card."

"But Bella…" Alice whined, "Christmas is coming up." I'd already prepared my speech for this situation. Glowing with assurance I relayed my rehearsed debate.

"Alice we have over a month to prepare for that." I retorted, guardedly folding my arms across my chest. I couldn't imagine a nightmare worse than Christmas shopping with Alice…except perhaps a hallway full of children. And at this point? I'd probably relive my first day of school.

"A month isn't nearly enough time for Christmas!" She cried, apparently exasperated. I opened my mouth, preparing the next line when a welcomed ally trotted in.

"Alice leave the poor girl alone, we've all witnessed where your shenanigans leave us." Jasper smirked as he strode into the living room, wrapping an arm around his pouty wife.

"Don't blame me for wanting to buy great presents for my family." She huffed in response. I rolled my eyes and sank further into the couch, becoming engrossed in the mindless reality show on TV.

"You cheat!" Emmett commented as he plowed through the front door. "You like buying presents because you know whether or not people will like them!"

"So?" Alice sneered, a wicked grin in place. "It's still fun to find the item in the first place."

"Cheater, cheater, animal eater." Emmett gasped and burst out laughing at his own immaturity.

"Don't hate me 'cuz you ain't me." Alice returned, complete with an arm circling through the air and a pugnacious jut out of the hip. She then continued to strut from the room. Jasper clapped his hands over his face, shaking his head. My mouth felt open in complete disbelief as I stared at the empty space that my sister had previously filled.

Had she really just said that? Emmett was rolling on the ground, quaking with laughter. Rose walked through the front door and grimaced at her squirming husband before skipping up to their bedroom.

Jasper gave me a sort of worried look and then scurried out to track his wife down.

I'd have to thank Jasper and Emmett later for getting me out of that. Edward twisted his arms around my hips and pulled me down onto his lap. The living area was again empty other than us two, which suited me just fine.

"You're still upset about earlier." He whispered into my ear. Why was he so good at reading me? I sighed loudly and lied.

"No I'm not. I'm fine," I flipped around and saw him scowling at my obvious fib. "Boy scout's honor." I held up my hand and placed another over my heart.

"Don't lie, Bella." Edward persisted, stroking my cheek with his palm. "That crease between your eyebrows has been there all day, and I love you much too greatly to have not noticed it." I cast my gaze downwards, avoiding the warm copper eyes that could make me cry. And I didn't even have tears anymore.

"Bella, this doesn't make you any weaker than the rest of us." He comforted, twirling a piece of my hair with his fingers.

"I could've killed those kids Edward."

"Well we all _could_ have, Bella." A strong finger lifted my chin up and I was forced to meet his smoldering eyes. "But this existence isn't about what could have happened, it's about what did or did not happen." He wrapped his arms around me and pressed up against my chest. "You didn't hurt any of those students, and I don't think you would have."

* * *

"Why are we doing this?" Rose exclaimed, rolling her eyes as Jasper and Emmett arm wrestled across her lap. 

"Because I thought a family game night would be fun." Esme said softly, placing squares of blank paper and a couple of pens on the center coffee table.

"And what exactly are we going to play?" I asked, staring questioningly at the parchments.

"It's called the paper game," Alice beamed.

"Creative," Edward mused sarcastically, flipping a piece of paper between his fingers.

"Well you can't play anyways-" Alice regarded the gorgeous man behind me.

"What? Why not?" He demanded, his voice apparently flustered.

"Because you would read everything out of people's minds and win, and it wouldn't be fair." She explained stonily. He may be out but that didn't mean he couldn't help me win right?!

"Fine," he huffed, pulling me closer to his chest.

"And no helping Bella." Emmett warned as my husband sighed behind me. So much for my brilliant strategy.

"Okay here's how you play, I'm going to give you a scenario, for example 'one day I looked under the bed and saw a…' and you write how you would finish the scene on a piece of paper." Alice paused and made sure everyone was still following. "And then I'll read them all aloud and we go around in a circle trying to guess who wrote what."

"And if someone guesses yours correctly?" Jasper questioned, now actually seeming interested.

"Then you're out. And if you guess someone correctly then you get to guess again." Alice finished.

"Hm, I've never played this before…it should be fun." Carlisle mused as Alice shuttled out the papers and writing utensils.

"Alright, here's the sentence. I was on a train one day and opened the overhead compartment to put my suitcase up and gasped when I saw…"

Everyone stared into space for a couple moments before beginning to scribble down responses. Edward and I giggled softly as I completed mine and handed the folded piece of paper to Alice.

She cleared her throat loudly after mixing up the pieces and began to read the madlibs.

"I was on a train one day and opened the overhead compartment to put my suitcase up and gasped as I saw…" She unfolded the first piece of paper, "a cop hat," she opened the next, "a lucky rabbit's foot," and the next, "the future, surprise, surprise."

At this Emmett could hardly contain his laughter as he had just been teasing her about the gift. She gave him a steely glare that immediately silenced him and then continued, "a copy of _Catcher in the Rye_," and read the next, "a plastic pair of fangs," the next said, "the last passenger's suitcase," she sighed and opened the final piece, "Jasper's latest gift, a pair of lead handcuffs."

Even I had a hard time concealing my humored expression as Alice gave each of us the evil eye for that last statement.

"And now we go around in the circle and guess who wrote what, correct?" Esme attempted to cushion the moment a bit.

"Right." Alice growled.

"Alright," Carlisle started, "let's see here, I think that Jasper put in the cop hat." Jasper dismissed that with a shake of the head and the guessing moved over to Rose.

She wore a poorly concealed smirk and a bit of mischief danced in her eyes as we all awaited her guess. I noticed Jasper quietly tense a bit and felt a sudden wave of artificial terror. As I glanced around and noticed that the rest of the family had felt it as well. But Rose's smile begged to differ, only widening after the jolt.

"I think that Jasper gave Alice that pair of handcuffs and also snuck it into the pile." She snapped. Alice gave her an uneasy smile.

"Oh Rose, ha why would you ever think that?" Alice's voice shook a little bit and I saw Jasper shift uncomfortably.

"Don't play dumb! And don't act like the entire house couldn't hear you last night!" Emmett yelled through booming laughs.

A sudden crack of thunder had me cowering as the couch opposite of us was flipped up into the air. Jasper hadn't found the comment as funny as the rest of us had, apparently.

Jasper and Emmett were nearly invisible as they shot around the bottom floor of the house, swinging, punching, kicking, slicing, grappling, and snarling.

"Boys." Esme murmured softly, demandingly. They, however, chose to ignore this particular request.

"Boys!" She screamed. This time they halted, both of their hair standing up at odd angles and their clothes in disarray. "That is enough." She stated flatly and waltzed up the stairs, followed by an amused Carlisle.

"That game was fun." Rose snickered with a small smile on her lips. She gathered up the pens and papers and headed to the unnecessary kitchen.

"Fun, indeed." A rather soured Alice reported from behind a couch cushion. Another smack of thunder and Emmett was through the back door, revenge bent Jasper on his tail.

My stomach ached a bit from all of the laughter, and I couldn't help but wonder…is there any better feeling?

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_Author's note- Leave some thoughts if you so wish._


	15. Chapter 15: Substances

_Author's note- Enjoy._

_Disclaimer._

* * *

**BPOV**

A sultry wave of calm rolled over my pricked nerves, allowing my posture to relax a bit.

"Thanks Jazz." I whispered. My heart full of piercings due to the memories of my instincts had left me wound up and anxious.

"Let the thoughts of the children go, Bella. It does no one good to have you dwelling on alternate endings."

Of course Jasper knew what I was feeling…and he could tell why. Because he'd gone through the same thing multiple times.

"I'm not dwelling, Jazz. It's just- er…" I struggled to form a solid sentence. He sat perched in the chair across from me, his chin resting in his hand.

"It's just that in my mind, I _did _kill those people. I could practically-" I blanched, barely resisting the nauseating twist in my stomach when I thought the word.

"taste them." Jasper finished. I winced and nodded slowly, squeezing my eyes shut against the images that flooded my mind.

"We've all done it, Bella. Those thoughts aren't unnatural." He frowned a bit and dropped his gaze. "To us at least." I shook my head, these thoughts weren't natural. Not natural to me.

When I looked back up to Jasper, his face was contorted in the oddest of expressions.

He looked at me with a steadfast stare that made me nearly uncomfortable. There was a silver ghost in those eyes, which pranced and flew through the copper with astounding speed. And as terrified as I was about what Jasper had to say, I couldn't move. I had to hear it.

"Bella, lying is like an abusive substance. Each time you use it…it gets easier. And soon you start doing it without noticing, as if it comes as naturally as breathing- because by this point the lies become so familiar that your mouth and conscience treat them as the truth. It becomes so deeply woven into the veins of your life that it's hard to untangle that which is truthful from that which isn't." He took a deep breath and stared even more fiercely into my eyes. My hands were trembling against my thighs and my back was pressed as far into the chair as possible. What tempest could be destroying Jasper like this?

"It becomes an addiction. You depend on it, need it, crave it." He stole a glance down to the floor and his expression crumpled in obvious pain. "But in the end it destroys you. It erodes away all virtue and importance that you fight to establish." His voice quivered. "People you love, who love you…it hurts them." He let out a labored sigh, his lips trembling. "And this in turn hurts you." His breath caught in a sob-like manner.

"Realizing the infestation of dishonesty is like waking up in a hole that you dug while in an intoxicated daze. A grave done by your own hand, but once your six feet under no one hears your cries for help any longer." Jasper rose and began to exit the room.

My knuckles were aching from how tightly I had been clenching my fists and my jaw was cramping in its effort to restrain my emotions. Jazz spun on his heel and had the bite of a harmful burden in his voice.

"You can tell no one of this, Bella." He stated, softly and sternly. I only nodded and prayed that my eyes hadn't given away the terror I felt.

I pulled up a fur blanket from the ground and snuggled into the arm of the chair, suddenly feeling a chill that had nothing to do with the weather.

"Feeling okay?" Emmett sauntered into the family room and flipped the TV on. I just nodded slowly in response.

Two marble arms folded underneath my ribs and lifted me from the chair, pulling me into his chest. I tucked my chin into Edward's neck and breathed deeply, allowing his scent to calm my insides. I barely noticed his feet moving beneath us before he set me onto our bed and cuddled into my side.

I shivered as his cool breath echoed in my ear. He pulled the hair against my face back and wrapped it behind my ear. I smiled in a small manner as his lips pressed tenderly against my forehead.

"That's what I was waiting for." Edward whispered softly as he trailed his lips over the curves of mine. A few hours passed over tender kisses and simple endearing company. I forgot how comforting it was just to hold onto something meaningful and have it hold you back.

He straightened up in an awkward way and his expression grimaced in the slightest.

"Bella, Carlisle needs to discuss some…business with me." I nodded with a grin and kissed him quickly.

"I shouldn't be too long." He assured, grabbing my cheeks and pressing our mouths together again.

I sat up in Edward's and my bedroom, listening to the eerie cacophonies of an eighteenth century composer, the name of which only the Master of all Music, aka my husband, would know.

I heard a light knock on the door and called for them to come in.

"Good evening, Bella." Carlisle voiced mellifluously from the doorway.

"Hey, Carlisle. Are you done talking with Edward? I'd like my husband back now if you don't mind." I laughed through the greeting, noticing the perplexed look on Carlisle's face.

"Talking to Edward? I came to ask you where he was, Bella. I haven't seen him all night." I barely had time to be surprised when a loud snarl broke the notes and I shoved up from the floor.

Sickening snaps and gurgling growls sounded from the front yard as Carlisle and I rushed to the door, only to meet the rest of the family there. All except Edward…

Emmett and I were the first to push outside when Carlisle immediately braced us back.

"Stay, unless I call you out." He demanded. Emmett edgily relaxed his grip on the door while I forced my way past, only to feel as if my empty heart had been jerked awake.

A monstrous animal was launched into the shadows of the trees as dueling roars shook needles from the foliage. Edward immediately froze when he heard me. His golden eyes were alight in the dense darkness, seething with fury.

The branches rustled a little to my right and I noticed Edward visibly stiffen. A half naked…and beautiful man stepped into the line of light from the door. I took a quick gasp, inhaling a sickeningly grotesque scent.

The man's eyes met mine, the dark pools full of a deep rooted ache.

"Bella?" He choked, his eyes glistening with tears. And suddenly I placed the voice that made my heart spill.

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_Author's note- encouragement, praise, corrections, gripes, anything is appreciated. _


	16. Chapter 16: Insiders

_Author's note: R&R, thanks a million._

_Disclaimer._

* * *

**BPOV**

"Edward, come inside." Carlisle demanded from the front door.

"No." He seethed; his eyes never breaking stare from the half-naked man.

"Edward, leave them. She'll be fine." Esme soothed, beckoning her son in with a wave of her hand. He growled lowly and turned to me. I gave a timid nod and mouthed that it was okay.

He flew to stand directly in front of the quaking man and bore his gleaming teeth, releasing a terrifying growl. He then turned and sped inside of the home, shattering something in the back hall.

"Jacob?" I questioned softly, knowing already who he was. He nodded stonily. I grazed him over with my eyes, his copper skin shone in the low light from the windows of the house and his deep eyes seemed to go on forever.

I glanced shyly over my right shoulder and when I looked forward again he was in front of me. He reached out a huge hand, which was wrought with small tremors. His expression was cold apart from the water I noticed welling in his eyes.

He trailed his balmy fingers over my cheek and then let his hand fall. The tears spilled over, one by one. But his face remained stoic, set in a detached mask.

"How could you?" He barely whispered. His mask fell away for a split second and I saw his bottom lip tremble and his eyes go dim, and then the stone was back.

"I love him." I explained. Why did I feel that I owed it to him to explain why this had happened? It had been my choice. I had suffered my own consequences.

"You told me you loved me once." He spat, pivoting and stalking towards the tree line. I felt this unexplainable sting in the pit of my stomach. But then again, his pain had always been my pain.

"I did love you. I do love you, Jake." I tried to backtrack, knowing that I was digging an even deeper hole for myself to climb out of. I paused and gnawed on my bottom lip, "I didn't do this out of spite. Please try to understand, I wanted to be happy. I am happy…and I'll be that way forever."

"I could have been that for you, Bella! I could have made you happy! I always made you happy!" He cried into the night, Sam's expression had now completely melted away. I leered down at the bracken littered ground.

"There's nothing we can do to change it now, Jake. What's done is done." I shifted uneasily in my stance and turned to go back inside. Jacob's swaying form appeared in front of me and pinned me against the side of the house.

"No! Don't duck out of this. Tell me why you did this to me!" His eyes were full of fire, a spinning painful anger that made me cringe. I searched for words but they all seemed to vaporize beneath his stare. His mouth wavered, "You can't even cry."

The way his brown eyes penetrated me made me feel so vulnerable. The way his hot skin pressed against the insides of my biceps made me tremble. And although he smelled more potently of pine and dew than anything I had ever known and it stung the inside of my nose, I'd never missed him more.

Or perhaps with everything that had been overtaking my new life I had forgotten to pause and dwell on my past. Pasts always bring anguish, especially ones you aren't allowed to return to. And so every bit of yearning for my best friend that I had suppressed sprang up at once.

"I-I- I didn't do this to you. I did this for me." I stumbled over my words. A golden eyed vampire grabbed Jake's shoulder and wrenched him away from me. My husband sneered at the werewolf and balled his fists in fury.

"I did this to her! Don't pin it on Bella, dog. She didn't have the choice when it really came down to it." Jacob began to shake, but Edward continued. "She was on the brink of death! I will not lie and tell you that it was an unselfish act, but you know deep down that you would have done the same if you'd been able to. You would have saved her."

Jacob straightened his shoulders and glared at Edward through a muss of sweat drenched hair.

"She was dying because of the brutality of your own kind." His face was set as Sam's once more, frozen and immovable. I felt the false adrenaline in my body skyrocket and a beat of reproach deep in my dead heart.

"How do you know that?" I asked, advancing towards Jacob. He turned towards me and I met his hardened gaze with a furious one.

"Sam told me." He replied emotionlessly.

"How would Sam know?" Edward guffawed, coming and bracing himself by my side.

"I forgot to ask." Jake smirked, not allowing it to reach his eyes.

"Anything I can do to help, Ed?" Emmett barked from the stairs. Jacob rolled his eyes and hissed, but knew that he was no match for eight vampires; he would have to back down to this fight.

The Alaskan wind whipped around us, twirling through the tops of the trees, and whistling through the needles. An arctic wolf howled some distance off and I noticed Jacob's sarcastic grin only widen.

"Why are you here?" I voiced, hating Sam's mask more than ever, "why did you come to find me?"

He mulled this over, struggling to maintain the callous expression.

"I had to see you for myself."

"And now you have and you can leave." Edward maintained, staring daggers into the dark figure.

"What good manners you have." Jake sang in response. I knew it wasn't_ my_ Jacob spitting these awful words, but I hated the Sam in him more than anything.

He bowed lowly towards Edward and spun towards the trees. Before he took off he looked back at me with his own eyes, not those of the alpha.

"I'm sorry." I whispered as he galloped into the woods, a few moments later I heard a heartbreaking howl. And suddenly I wished that I could still cry.

Edward rested his strong arm around my middle and swept me into the house.

"You should've let me help." Emmett brooded from the chair in the living room.

"We have bigger problems." Edward answered, squeezing my side gently.

"Like what, may I inquire?" Rose sighed from Emmett's lap. Carlisle strode into the room and leaned tensely against the wall.

"Sam knew about how Bella got changed." The man beside me said slowly, as if trying to discern the reasoning behind it as he spoke.

"You mean about the trio?" Alice chirped from the bottom stair of the flight.

"Jacob, at least I think, was speaking of what the Volturi did to Bella. But he was vague so he could know every detail; I just don't know how in-depth of a story they heard."

"That's impossible." Jasper affirmed from his position next to Alice, "only vampires, and few at that, know about what happened. And never have I met a vampire who would decidedly spill a brutal story from our realms to a friendly werewolf."

"The mutts may have an insider." Emmett suggested, folding his arms protectively around Rosalie. And then Carlisle turned to hike up to his study, disclosing a brief statement.

"Or the Volturi may have delivered one to them."

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_Author's note: Thank you very much for reading. Do leave a review if you feel so required, which you should. Haha. I'm totally kidding. But truly, do leave your thoughts._


	17. Chapter 17: Unwelcome Visitors

_Author's note- Enjoy._

_Disclaimer. _

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**EPOV**

"This doesn't make any sense at all!" Bella flared and threw the book onto the already tall pile in front of her. I stared blankly at the nearly empty bookshelf that lined the northern wall of Carlisle's study. We didn't have many more books to sift through, and we still hadn't found how the Volturi could have possibly known about the werewolves.

"God if I could just remember!" Bella yelled, pressing her forehead into her hands.

She'd hypothesized that perhaps she had said something when the trio brought her to Volterra that would have given it away. But Carlisle believes that her multiple head wounds before the change could have screwed with her memory, making it even harder for her to remember what exactly happened.

"I swear I can almost see the chamber, I can still hear the sounds, and picture every person who was there. But I just cannot recollect what exactly he asked me, if anything, or what I may have said in response."

I waltzed over to my wife and pulled her frustrated frame into my arms.

"Don't worry over it, Bella," I whispered, combing my fingers through her lustrous hair, "we'll figure it out."

_Hopefully...and with a lot of luck._

Carlisle added in his mind. I sighed into Bella's hair, rubbing my fingers down the line of her spine. I wanted to keep her like this forever, in my arms and safe.

_I pray to God they'll listen to me._ Someone else's thoughts entered into my brain. And they weren't from any of my family. And yet the voice was familiar, I was so close to placing a face to the thought when there was a sharp knock on the front door.

"I'll get it," Carlisle spoke. He flew down the staircase, Bella and I only a few steps behind. He pulled open the door and I immediately came to a million conclusions, none of which were positive.

**BPOV**

He stood there, as stately as a prince, his glossy hair and stunning features illuminated even through the shadows of the night.

There was a dimming quality to his eyes. The fanciful light, which I recalled so vividly about him, was missing. And I knew why.

"I apologize for showing up like this," he murmured, his gaze never breaking from Carlisle's.

"What do you want?" Edward growled, angling in front of me in a tense position of defense.

Raphael sighed and lowered his head in shame.

"Bella, I'm so sorry for what I brought upon you," he said, "I in no way expect you to forgive me, but you should know that I will go to Hell for all that I have done and that I will attempt to repent in every way possible, starting at this very moment."

"How did you find us?" Carlisle questioned, leaning stiffly against the doorframe. An act of simple positioning that blocked Raph from entering into the house without passing through the three of us.

"I knew where they had taken Lindy to-" he inhaled sharply and his voice broke, "…to kill her. Aro wanted nothing to do with me after that, keeping only Ivy. And so I decided to find you, and help in any way that I could."

"Help us? Help us what?" Edward demanded, his voice remaining low and menacing.

"The Volturi are too proud to let you exist without repaying the debt they believe they are owed."

"Meaning?" Carlisle pressed.

"Meaning that lit'l lass over there," he nodded towards me, still avoiding my eyes.

"I can protect her," Edward subtly raised his arms, making the barrier between any enemy and myself larger, "_we_ can protect her. My family and I will keep her safe. We don't require your assistance."

"You eight against dozens of the most powerful vampires in the world?" Raph spat, stepping forward a little bit. He was met with a step forward from Carlisle. To this he retreated, hanging his head and running his hand smoothly through his thick hair.

"Let me help you," he claimed desperately, his eyes full of remorse, "you can't do this alone. I owe you my life if not more; please let me give it to you."

I felt sympathy for him. He had lost everything, and here he was practically sacrificing himself.

"Why can't we let him help?" I asked, Edward turned and met me with wide eyes.

"He offered you up in an act of bartering! He was going to trade your life away like a bag of spices! And now you honestly believe that he's going to help us defeat the people who wanted you dead?"

"I-I-" truthfully I had nothing to say.

"He's right, a stór," Raph noted, finally meeting my gaze, "I should leave. You have no reason to trust me."

"We have no reason to leave you alive," Emmett barked, having emerged from the basement and clutched my shoulder. Raphael nodded stiffly and spun on his heel.

"This too is true," he said, descending the porch steps carefully.

For some reason I just felt like if we let Raph leave that we would lose all hope. I felt we needed him; that he could offer us something that no one else would be able to.

"Wait!" I called, pushing past Edward's defensive arms. I enjoyed my strength as a newborn at times like these.

I had to prove, to myself and my family, that Raph could help us.

"How do the Volturi know about the werewolves in La Push?" I demanded; the receding figure turned slowly, his eyes pondering.

"Aro…he shook my hand when we brought you to him."

Carlisle and Edward faced each other with matching distressed expressions.

"But how would yo-" I started and then faded off.

"Remember how you met me, Bella?"

"Cliff diving," Edward answered for me. The unwelcomed visitor nodded and turned to leave once again.

"He knows things we don't, Carlisle," I pleaded my case, turning towards my surrogate father, "he doesn't have to stay here with us but I just can't bear the thought of my family facing the Volturi alone."

"Especially when they may have convinced the wolves to ally with them," Raph commented softly, having turned to face the three of us.

Carlisle, Emmett, and Edward turned towards each other, having a conversation in their heads that I was not a part of. This was my war too. I glared at Edward and the spot where my 'wings' were throbbed.

"Bella!" The bronze haired angel fumed, turning to me. I'd never used my power against him before, at least not without being told to do so.

"I'm part of this too," I returned, my hands balled into fists at my side. Carlisle placed a hand on Edward's shoulder and motioned me closer to them.

"He can help, but he will not stay with us," Edward clarified as I stepped into their circle. I nodded, agreeing silently.

"But we need someone to go talk to the wolves," Emmett counseled, "maybe just a phone call would be enough."

"I can do it," I asserted. All three shook their heads.

"They're bound to be hostile towards you, Bella," Carlisle explained, "We did break the treaty."

"Then why don't you call, Carlisle? Sam has always respected you," I voiced, kneading my hands nervously.

"Yes, I do believe that will be the best course of action," he replied, his eyes cast downwards and his mind elsewhere. We broke from our locked stares and Edward placed a rigid arm around my waist.

Emmett stepped forward, his chest ascended and his chin lifted.

"You aren't needed now, Raph. Stay away unless you're called," he grunted, tossing the visitor a silver cell phone.

Raphael caught the shining toss and bowed his head towards us, taking his leave.

If there was one thing I knew, this war was getting closer and I had never wanted to be farther away from everything I had created…everything I had caused.

Our looming doom became an unwelcome visitor in the crevasses of my mind, creeping silkily through the labyrinths of my thoughts and running its sharpened nails against my comforts, causing them to shred away to nothing.

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_Author's note- Thank you for reading.__ Leave any thoughts that came to mind. _


	18. Chapter 18: Random

_Author's note- Fluff. Enjoy. _

_R&R. Disclaimer._

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**BPOV**

I pivoted into the doorway, breaking my eyes away from the receding figure. Alice stood in the foyer, her eyes sparking with fury.

"Why the _hell_ was he here?" She growled lowly. Emmett placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her out of the battle stance.

"He's gonna help us, Al," he said in a baritone sigh.

She turned to me, her fists clenched and her voice intense.

"If you think I am _ever_ going to let him near you again then you must have procured more brain damage than Carlisle thought."

Carlisle put his hands up and motioned for Alice to calm down.

"It's been dealt with. He knows things that we don't, Alice," he attempted to soothe her.

"We can do it without the likes of him!" She yelled, leaning forward towards Carlisle. The pixie sped over to me, grabbing both of my hands in hers. Her eyebrows knit together as her voice lowered in volume.

"We can protect you, Bella!" She claimed. Her eyes were wide with anxiety.

"We're outnumbered, Alice, we're out-powered _and _inexperienced. We could use his help," I tried to explain as her eyes hardened in anger.

"We've already decided on this. You're wasting your breath," Edward insisted.

She hissed out a disgusted sigh and marched up to her room.

"What'd you do to my wife?" Jasper called as he stalked into the front hall. When we all remained silent he shrugged and ran up the stairs to find out for himself.

I collapsed down into a sinking love seat and rubbed my face into a pillow.

"Why is everything always so hard?" I asked, to no one in particular.

"Because you're perfect, God had to punish you somehow," Edward whispered softly in my ear, having lain down beside me. I could tell we were alone in the room now. He snickered quietly as I rolled my eyes.

"Bella, I love you."

"Ha, I love you too, Edward."

"Why'd you laugh?"

"It was random, that's all."

"I haven't told you enough lately."

"You're welcome to say it whenever you'd like."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

**EPOV**

Do you ever wish you had the power to take someone else's problems as your own?

I do. Almost constantly.

I see Bella struggle. She thinks I don't notice when her eyebrows form a neat 'V' and she closes her eyes in worry. But her thick drape of hair has never hidden a frown from me.

I wish I could take it all away from her, transfer all of her anchoring worries over to my shoulders. More than anything in the world.

I sat perched on a high boulder as I watched her below me, stalking behind a large elk. Her limbs were limber as she moved in a manner that reminded me of a lioness, low to the ground, their extremities bent in preparation for attack. Her mahogany screen of hair shone brilliantly even in the dampened light of the cloudy day.

The skin of her hands and face glimmered subtly due to the reflection of light off of the snow, probably hardly noticeable to a human eye. She pounced nimbly onto the huge animal's back, taking him down swiftly and killing it quickly, humanely.

It was weird that I found this oddly arousing. This animalistic side of my wife. I ran down to her just as she was finishing and clasped a hand around her bicep.

"Yes?" She asked, her eyes an indescribable color…one between crimson and gold. I didn't answer, only leaned in towards her lips, suddenly ravenous for the pressure of them upon my own. She gasped slightly as we met, making my hand shake as I reached behind us to brace against a tree trunk.

Her hands climbed to the sides of my face, pulling me towards her. I was trembling as my arms wound around her waist, lifting her off the ground and pinning her to the tree with my hips.

"Edward," she moaned between my lips, making me push my hips harder against her. She whimpered again in response, driving my body and mind crazy.

Her porcelain skin was velvet beneath the pads of my fingers, tracing lightly over her flat stomach. She ran her hand up the back of my neck and wrapped one of her legs around my waist.

I broke from her, taking deep unnecessary breaths. Her fingers drew softly across my forehead, pushing my hair back from me eyes. She gently pressed her lips to mine for a short second and then formed a devious grin.

"Race ya home!" She yelled from some distance in front of me after sliding from my arms. I shook my head and attempted to catch up.

The trees flew by as blurs and the wind whipped past my face. My feet felt separate from the ground and my eyes felt glued to Bella. Her hair rippled in the wind, swirling through the quickened air with grace. The fierce pine smell in these woods charged through my nostrils and small snowflakes landed on my cheekbones, failing to melt. Denali had always been beautiful to me, but now there wasn't a piece of it that didn't hold majesty in my mind. That was mostly contributed to the fact that I had so many new memories with Bella here.

Every day it still surprised me that she loved me. I have yet to determine what exactly I did to deserve such a gift, but I'll take as many gifts as God's willing to give me.

"I love you!" I called up to her as we were nearing the house. She turned her head back to me with a delicious smirk on her lips.

"I love you too!" She called in response. My heart sang.

The next few seconds passed in slow motion. As Bella's head was turned she crashed with a small aspen, shattering it into thousands of woodchips. Although she remained unabashed, the collision threw her feet off and caused her to somersault into the backyard of the Denali house.

I quickly caught up to her curled, shaking form. Wrapping a giggling Bella into my arms I nuzzled my face into her neck.

"What happened?" I asked between snickers of my own.

"I tripped," she put her hand up to her mouth in a feigned act of embarrassment.

"I guess a little bit more human is left than we would have guessed."

"I guess so," she agreed, throwing her head back for a final laugh, "but, as always, you're there to catch me."

"Always."

* * *

_Author's note- Thank you for reading.__ I would greatly appreciate any thoughts that you'd care to supply. If anyone is looking for another great __vampiric__ adventure the Circle Trilogy by Nora Roberts is superb, but does follow typical vampire restrictions, so haters beware. But if you take the Twilight prejudice away it really is a great series. _


	19. Chapter 19: Signs

_Author's note- Disfrútanse mis amigos. _

_Disclaimer.  
_

* * *

**BPOV**

The sunlight was crystal clear as it invaded the room. Its glow was neither yellowish nor filled with dust. It was a piercing white. Its body of light cut through the room, exposing some objects to a particularly judgmental eye and leaving others shrouded in shadows.

If only I had known what it was truly trying to expose.

But I did not. I lay on the couch, my eyes drawn to the kaleidoscope patterns that played through the jewels in my skin.

Steam from the bathroom began to creep from beneath the bathroom door. Edward had been in the shower for forty minutes, at least. I stepped onto the sunlight that was spilled all over the floor and walked slowly towards the wall-sized window at the end of the room.

My eyes caught the swift breezes through the trees and the way each reorganized the underbrush. The mountain tops looked especially sharp against the stoic sky, breaking the sky unevenly into two halves. I could hear the leaves whisper secrets to each other as the wind gave them words. A sudden movement caught my eye.

A black ball of sorts flew covertly into one of the treetops. I studied the rustling leaves and after a few seconds a small raven emerged. It stood on an outstanding branch, its jet black feathers seeming to attract the specifically critical rays of the sun. I narrowed my eyes at the animal as its eyes came to rest on my own.

Usually animals refuse to maintain a stare with any human being, or the like, always breaking after a few seconds, disturbed by something they see in our eyes. But the bird did not. Its eyes remained locked to my own in a peculiar manner that usually would not have bothered me. But that day it did.

It turned on a dime and shot into the tree. I stared for ten minutes at that one tree, waiting for the bird to reemerge. But he never did.

"Bella?" Edward stood behind me, one towel tied around his waist and another ruffling through his hair.

"I just saw the weirdest thing," I noted, turning back to the window, "this bird, a raven, flew to that branch and looked right at me. Almost like he knew I was here, like he came to visit."

"A raven came to say hello to you?" Edward chuckled in his sultry manner, "I'm irrevocably sad that I missed that."

I laughed quietly, knowing that the bird couldn't mean anything _really_. But for some weird reason I just felt like it did. A pair of lips came to the rim of my ear, sending shivers up my spine.

"I could've used some company in the shower," he complained softly, failing to restrain the smile I felt form on his lips.

"I don't remember you asking me to join you," I retorted, spinning around to kiss him slowly.

"Well that's okay, Bella, I wouldn't have wanted you to miss the raven," Edward comforted mockingly, planting a hard kiss on my cheek and strolling into the closet to change.

"Yeah…" I responded airily, "me either."

Later we went down to the kitchen, where Carlisle was reading and Esme cleaning. She cleaned incessantly, even in places that needed no cleaning at all. Exhibit A? The kitchen that remained unused by _anyone _in the entire house. But here she stood, scrubbing imaginary grease from the blacktop stove.

"Morning, you two," Carlisle murmured from behind his copy of the New York Times.

"Good morning, Carlisle," I greeted him with a warm smile, seating myself in a stool at the breakfast bar.

Emmett marched into the room, the newest edition of Car and Driver in his hands.

"How's it?" Edward motioned towards the magazine in Emmett's hands.

"It's best you don't look through this one, Ed."

"What? Why?" Edward demanded, his tone nearing offended. His brother tapped the front cover and raised one eyebrow suggestively.

"No way!" Edward wrenched the glossy pages from his brother and his eyes glazed over in awe.

"What is it?" I questioned, Carlisle chuckled softly.

"The Bugatti EB 18/4 Veyron," Emmett said respectfully, as if speaking of a higher power.

"This is…" Edward seemed at a loss for words, "incredible."

"Dream on," Emmett guffawed, snatching the magazine back and tucking under his arm. Edward glared menacingly while I attempted to hold the humor back from my face. Emmett spun on his heel and began to walk out before turning back to us quickly. "Anyone know where Jasper is? We're overdue for an Xbox rematch."

"He and Alice went hunting about an hour ago," Esme said softly, leaning against the counter, "they should be back before too long." Emmett nodded in thanks and proceeded out the swinging door.

"Would you care to join me on a minimal excursion?" Edward whispered lowly in my ear. Esme smiled adorably and winked at me from the corner of the room as Carlisle barely stifled a loud laugh. I swear if I could have blushed I would have been redder than a tomato, Edward knew they could hear him, whispering or not. I covered my eyes in embarrassment and shook my head as Edward towed me out the front door.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we sped into the forest, our hands twined in a way that still made my ankles weak.

"It's a surprise."

"I hate those."

"I know," he laughed mutely.

"So you really are trying to torture me?"

"Am I really that obvious?" He feigned a hurt tone, but his crooked smile gave his sarcastic remark away.

The leaves whistled as we flew past them, creating a wind of our own. We stopped abruptly in front of a giant tree whose branches reached at least a quarter mile out in each direction.

"Wow," I mumbled.

"Cool, huh?" Edward commented, staring up at the gargantuan. I remained silent and still, reveling in the sheer mass of this pillar of nature. I didn't move until he started pulling me to the right, trying to guide us somewhere. As we rounded the huge trunk I saw why we had come.

A worn piece of wood sat suspended between two intensely thick pieces of rope hanging from a lower branch.

"A swing?" I asked, a wicked grin crossing my lips.

"The greatest," he smirked, yanking me over and placing me onto the seat.

As he pushed me gently I climbed closer to the tree's arms, closer to the sky. The levitated feeling in my stomach matched the butterflies those golden eyes sometimes moved in my stomach. I smiled small as my hair tickled against my face, my eyelashes fluttering in the chilled air.

I relished in the freedom, in the absence of restraint, and in the absence of fear. After one last push Edward caught the ropes between his hands and stopped the swing against his chest, wrapping me into a warm embrace.

"I love you, Edward," I said.

"I love you more."

"Impossible."

"Hardly," he resolved, kissing the skin below my ear softly. "I have an idea."

"What?" I asked, a little hesitant. He produced a knife from his pocket and picked me up off the seat.

"C'mere," he beckoned me with his fingers as he neared the trunk. He handed me the knife and stepped behind me, holding my hands in his.

The wood of the trunk was buzzing beneath my fingertips, alive with the breaths of many years. Edward's skillful hand guided my own into an intricate and elegant curvature of our initials, _IMSC & EAMC_.

"It'll be here forever," I expressed, running my digits over the wounds in the bark. The scars would remain here as long as the tree did.

"How fitting," Edward added, kissing my shoulder.

He suddenly stiffened behind me and jerked back in the direction of the house.

"What is it?" I inquired.

"Esme's telling us to come home," he gave me an apologetic peck on the lips, "I'm sorry, but she wouldn't ask unless it was important."

"To home we go then."

* * *

"We need to go look for Alice and Jasper," Carlisle asserted, his eyes averted to the far wall. 

"You mean they're missing?" I demanded, hoping with a million crossed fingers that this was a joke.

"They'd been gone for a long time and so I went to see where they were," Emmett explained, worry creasing his forehead, "and they weren't anywhere to be found."

"Relax, I'm sure they just went to a new hunting spot, or followed a catch a little further than normal," Edward reasoned, his expression remained composed but I could hear the anxiety in his voice.

"We'll find them," Esme swore, her sharp eyes scanning the wilderness through one of the open windows in the family room.

"Well let's go rescue the runaways," Rose sighed, heading towards the door with five disquieted vampires close behind.

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_Author's note- Thanks for reading :) thoughts are greatly appreciated. _


	20. Chapter 20: Gone, Going, Going

_Author's note- R&R. Thanks!_

_Disclaimer._

* * *

**BPOV**

No. Gone.

Nowhere. Gone.

Not one sound. Not one response. Gone.

I would have sworn that my heart had a beat as I felt it reaching through my ribs, trembling in fear of what we had come to find.

Jasper and Alice were nowhere to be found. I sat crumpled in the frost bitten bracken, the rays of early dawn peeking over the ridge. Edward was leaning against the tree trunk above me, his eyes piqued on our surroundings, desperate for a sign of either of them.

"This isn't right," I breathed, running a shaking hand through my hair. I rested my head back against Edward's legs. I felt helpless. I wanted Alice so badly right now. She would have known exactly what to do; she would have barked positivity into our heads until it would have been possible to believe that everything would be fine. I opened my eyes, hoping that her lithe figure would come dancing from behind one of the Evergreens, her laugh bubbling through the air. 'Gotcha!' She would scream.

But Alice didn't prance out from behind any of the trees. A phone buzzed in my coat pocket, which was weird since I never ever carried my phone. I figured distant mindedly that I had left it in this jacket last.

But the second I clicked open the phone I knew that the appearance of this communication device hadn't been accidental. A gruff snigger erupted from the dial tone. I had almost placed the voice when the person opposite of the line spoke.

"Come and get 'em, Bella."

The knees behind me locked and disappeared, leaving my form spilled over the snowy ground. Edward had shot into the trees, back towards the house. I threw the phone away from my ear suddenly terrified of the small piece of equipment and darted after him.

He slowed down once he heard me coming and came behind me, grabbing my hand.

"Felix," he whispered, knowing that I would hear.

"No."

"Yes."

"You mean they—"

"Have Alice and Jasper? Yes, I'm sure that they do," his voice was strained, barely able to hold the fury in his tone.

Thousands of snapshots poured into my mind. I saw Alice and Jasper together on the couch in Phoenix, two parts of a whole that was fervently protecting me, a vulnerable human that they had no reason to care about. I saw Alice in Italy with Edward and me, her face bold as she grasped Aro's hand saving us all from an inescapable doom. I saw Jazz the night that we had stargazed, his expression illuminated in the moonshine and full of wisdom I could only hope to obtain. Lastly I saw them on our wedding day, the joy in their eyes and their love for me.

We burst through the front door, heaving our chests in anxiety.

"What is it?" Carlisle demanded his tone too calm for how fast my head was spinning.

"They have them!" I cried.

"Who?" Esme asked painfully.

"Volturi."

Emmett rocketed into the room, ripping through the leather bound couch.

"What do you mean the Volturi have them?!" He screamed. I pushed my eyelids together shaking my head violently from side to side; this had to be a dream, a nightmare.

Too bad I never dreamt anymore. My head clouded over with anger and vengeance, clearing only once I realized what I had to do.

_Come and get '__em__ Bella. _ The eerie words played through my head. This was about me. This was my responsibility. I had to get them out of there. I would rescue them. The Volturi could have a million years of my servitude if they released my siblings. Anything for their safety.

"Anything for their safety," I concluded silently and to myself. I must not have been too silent as I felt two cement hands shove me against a wall.

"No!" Edward roared, dangerously close to my face.

"I-I-" My words sludged together as those pools of molten gold pierced into my own. His hands tightened around my arms and I winced slightly from the unexpected twinge of pain.

"_You can't_," he murmured tenderly, his lips against my ear.

"I have to."

"No!" He shook me again, "you can't leave me. I will not allow you to."

His irises darkened as he searched my own lost expression. I could never put Edward in danger because of me. I would never.

"I can't bear to put you in that kind of danger," I explained, resting my fingertips against his flexing biceps.

"And I will not allow you to face it alone."

His tone resonated with a certain sense of finality that was difficult to refute. But just as I was about to try he interrupted me suddenly.

"I've nearly lost you twice; I don't think I'll survive another escapade such as that. I'm with you, and that's final."

I struggled to find a response but every ounce of my protest got rinsed away as his lips pressed against mine, his body holding me up against the wall.

"How do you know?" Esme challenged her eyes fearful.

"Felix called," I said. My entire body shook as I remembered his voice.

"What did he say?" Carlisle asked, advancing towards us.

"Come and get 'em Bella," Edward repeated, his voice rising in disgust. My hands shook at the sheer recollection.

"So they're really gone?" Rosalie attempted to sum up as she leaned against Emmett.

I nodded.

"And you're going to get them?"

I nodded again.

"And you are going too?" She motioned to Edward.

He dipped his chin minimally.

"We're dropping like flies," Rosalie sighed pessimistically as she paraded up the stairs.

"Going, going, gone," she pointed to us, Jasper, and Alice in the gigantic family portrait from our wedding that hung at the head of the stairs.

_Gone, going, going_. I revised in my head, turning my face into Edward's hard chest, letting out one small whimper.

I missed Alice.

I missed Jasper.

* * *

_Author's note- Thanks so much for reading! Any thoughts would be greatly enjoyed. :) _


	21. Chapter 21: Freedom Earned

_Author's note- Longer than typical. Enjoy. _

_Disclaimer.  
_

* * *

The air seemed thicker here, weighed down with endless amounts of anxiety and panic. I hadn't known what to bring, so I didn't bring anything at all.

But then again as I regarded the statuesque man beside me, I'd actually brought my entire life.

The city was weird at night, the crystalline light of the stars illuminating the numerous allies and deep drains. It made me shudder to know what crept in those drains and all that they led to. I tightened my grasp around Edward's waist, rubbing my face into the side of his shoulder. He drew his hand softly over my arm, staying silent.

Our skin shone in the moonlight, not sparkling as with sunlight, but a dull sort of radiance. A young man passed us on his way home, his eyes passing greedily over me. I saw Edward give the Italian an intimidating glare and only pulled myself closer to him.

"It's going to be fine, right?" I asked. Edward's onyx eyes met mine, an unmistakable passion adorning the ripples in his irises.

"Yes."

"Are you lying?"

He sighed in a long manner, his stare cemented to the looming fortress at the heart of the city.

"I don't know."

I only nodded, squeezing my eyes shut and pressing my nose against his skin. I wanted to memorize his natural perfume, the way his strong arm wrapped around my torso, and the exact tone of his voice.

"I love you, Isabella," Edward said as he slowed his pace, bringing my hands into his own. He stepped in front of me and grabbed my cheeks. He pushed his lips to mine tensely, hurriedly. I wound my arms around his neck, pulling myself closer to him. My lips burned as he continued moving his against them. Two different flocks of butterflies wrestled in my stomach, one was very heave and dank, the other jittery and nervous. Both made me feel very sick.

"I love you, Edward," I said as we parted lips, gasping for the unnecessary oxygen. "Promise me, whatever happens, happens to the both of us," I begged, my eyes meeting his with a sense of urgency.

His mouth twisted uncomfortably as he considered the possible meaning of the promise, his eyes ached visibly, making my heart sting. He nodded stiffly, pressing his lips to mine again briefly.

There was an eerie sense of nostalgia as we passed through the square in front of the clock tower. I remembered the desperation that had propelled me through the immovable crowd that awful day, its ghost knocked subtly in my veins a cruel reminder of what I was about to face, yet again. The Volterra memories had stayed with me through the change, most of my experiences with Edward had. But these were definitely some of the clearest.

The allie's mouth was filled with sulking shadows regardless of the bright light of the full moon. I didn't want to go through it; I didn't even want to go near it. But I didn't have any choice. This was for them, for my family. For some reason I felt if I actually stepped across the cobblestone threshold that the trip back would be exponentially harder to achieve, if possible at all.

We paused in front of the break between buildings, gauging the movements within through our keen eyes. I was sure that Edward was listening for anyone nearby.

"Anyone?" I whispered, my hand trembling as it clasped around his clenched fist.

"Not here, they're waiting for us at the end of the tunnel," he murmured, his voice cold. I looked up at his eyes and saw the reflection of the night sky within the dark circles. The lights above us burned in his stare, giving the orbs an otherworldly look.

"Together," I swore.

"The course of true love never did run smooth," he quoted from a _Midsummer Night's Dream_ with a small crooked smile on his lips. I squeezed his hand and prayed as we slipped into the leaky corridor, sinking down into the filth and sin that lay underneath the city.

The tunnel didn't seem long enough, I almost wished that it would never end, that way we could avoid this forever. I couldn't bear the thought of putting Edward in danger but the realization that Alice and Jasper _were_indeed in danger pushed me through the stifling air, towards the demonic cherub at the end of the stone hall. Jane's smile was peculiar in the shifty light from the torches, her eyes dancing excitedly between Edward and me.

"How lovely to see you both," she purred, her crimson irises screaming at me.

"I wish I could mirror the delight," Edward voiced stoically. This only made her laugh a beautiful, radiant sound that seemed to mock the bloody color of her stare.

"Bella, dear, you are just exquisite," Aro noted as he ushered down from above, settling next to the child. Edward squeezed my hand tightly, signaling me of something weird, what exactly I couldn't quite figure. "I cannot wait to investigate the surely impressive power you must harbor," he cooed, his eyes tight on my own. Edward squeezed my hand a bit harder. "Would it be rude to ask for a demonstration?" He asked, his eyes venturing to my husband's. I looked up to the same pair and saw an angry defiance in them, but he only nodded to me.

"Can I be first?" Jane begged, glancing up to the white haired ruler.

"Sure, darling," he said, patting her head paternally. She squealed gleefully and stepped towards us. She first pointed her gaze to me, leaning forward in her stance. I could see the fury in her eyes as nothing resembling pain or torture flashed across my face. Aro grabbed her shoulder and comforted her minimally.

"No, no, Jane. We know it does not work on the girl, try it on our dear boy here," he grinned wickedly, his stare focused on me. My body shook with nerves, my dead heart seething in protest.

I concentrated on Jane, on quieting the agony I knew she could cause. Once her energy turned fully to Edward my attention peaked, I forced her strength down, imagining it cowering into the back of her head until it had dissipated completely. Edward didn't flinch at all as she scrutinized him. After a few seconds she screeched in rage, her eyes igniting with despise.

Aro chuckled softly, his eyes full of merriment. He clapped slowly as Jane sulked, glaring at me momentarily.

"Good show, Bella. Incredible you most certainly are."

I didn't respond. I only scowled, waiting for the moment that I had dreaded since I'd seen the raven. But instead I felt Edward go rigid beside me and glance down with an anguished expression. He squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced as the shuffling of robes got closer, and suddenly I heard some very familiar voices.

"Let GO of me you sick pervert!"

"I swear to god if you put your hands anywhere else on her, I'll—"

"Behave."

That last statement sent chills up my spine, Rose and Emmett quieted at Carlisle's demand, the four coming to a rest in front of us.

Esme, Carlisle, and Rose were each being restrained by a large guard, Emmett by two. My burly brother was still wrestling within their grasps, nearly breaking their holds.

"But why…I said I would…how come you…" it was like my words were drunk, struggling to walk in a straight line.

"We didn't choose to come, Bella," Esme whispered.

"That's correct," Aro beamed, opening his arms to the portion of my family, "they were sought." He laughed, hissing through his teeth. My limbs suddenly felt like cement, weighing one thousand pounds each and ready to crash into the ground.

"You see I have been pondering our situation for a lengthy amount of time, my friends," Aro spoke firmly as he swept between the lot of us, his eyes meeting an angry pair wherever he looked, "I wanted to make this trip worth your while." He explained, as if this made his assault less offensive. Emmett scoffed, throwing his head back.

"You see, Carlisle," he regarded the blonde doctor, gliding over to his stance at the side of the semicircle, "your coven has grown so wonderfully strong and loyal these past couple of decades that my brothers and I are beginning to wonder what exactly you 'vegetarians' have in mind for the future of our kind."

Carlisle balked, staring at the ruler with wide eyes.

"Aro, we never have any intent in threatening your position, if that is what you are suggesting," the politeness and British accent in his voice rang off of the tunnel walls, reverberating into the distance.

The pieces then began to fall into place in my head. The Volturi were threatened by our size and dedication to one another. They were threatened by our ideals and lack of visible weakness.

"I just wonder, comrade, whether your coven really is as strong as you like to claim," he smiled, his razor teeth gleaming even in the low light. He made eye contact with a guard at the edge of the tunnel and spoke softly in his direction, "Paolo, if you would be so kind."

My eyes snapped to the guard's flowing cape as it billowed around a corner, and then my pulse, dead heart or not, began to climb. The monster in my head did not fight, it merely opened it eyes, awakened to the scent. That sweet metallic heat that could send adrenaline through the veins of the living dead.

The guard returned, throwing a large burlap sack onto the floor. He untied it slowly and then spilled the contents onto the floor.

I thought becoming a vampire would have rid me of my gag reflex, but oh how wrong I was. I wretched, leaning over myself as the naked teenage boy's body hit the floor, numerous oozing lacerations on his legs and back. He moaned lowly, his arms shaking against the stone under foot.

I glanced to the rest of my family, Esme and Emmett looked to be struggling greatest, their heads turned away from the body. My brother was even shaking slightly, his jaw tense. Edward just wrapped his arm tighter around me, covering my eyes as the sobs began to rock my chest.

"Remarkable, Cullens. The _newborn_ didn't even lunge," Aro complimented, giving me a mock-astonished look. He motioned to the guard once again, having him remove the conscious human.

"Where are Alice and Jasper, Aro?" Carlisle asked in a professional tone.

"Oh, somewhere around here I'm sure," the ruler mused, placing an arrogant smirk on his lips.

"Let me rephrase my question, why have you insisted that my entire family be brought here?"

"I thought I was clear on that, Carlisle. Your coven is simply too powerful, my brothers wished simply to destroy you completely," he laughed musically, as if he had just repeated a jolly joke, "but lucky for you, I thought it would have been better to allow you to earn your safety."

"And how exactly do we do that?" I asked, lifting my face to meet Aro's. Chills spun down the bridge of my spine as his crimson orbs delved into mine.

"How wonderful that you ask, _Isabella_," he purred through my name in his Latin accent, "for although the task may involve every one of your family members, the bulk of it rests upon your own shoulders."

Edward growled underneath his breath, pulling me tighter to his frame.

"It's a sort of game, you see," Aro placed his hands together, tapping his fingers elatedly, "there's a maze of tunnels with numerous rooms, make your way through safely and…" he paused, smiling to himself, "well…you win, your family goes free."

"So I go through by myself?" I asked, my voice shaking. He nodded.

"I don't see the logic in that, if we're fighting to preserve our family, shouldn't the test be completed by all of us?" Carlisle challenged, I could feel Edward glaring at Aro next to me, his stare flinging daggers.

"Would it not be exquisite if everything in the world worked as it _logically_ should, we would be much more powerful than humans then wouldn't we? And we'd be able to prey on them as we'd please? They'd be nothing more than sheep," Aro walked slowly towards his old friend, his tone oddly condescending, "but you see Carlisle, Bella technically belongs to us—"

"_She belongs to no one!"_ Edward snarled from beside me.

"Hold your temper, Edward, it isn't polite to shout," Aro corrected, not bothering to make eye contact, "so I see it only fair that Bella not only earn her family's freedom, but her own as well."

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_Author's note- Thank you for taking the time to read :). Leave a review if you would, please.  
_


	22. Chapter 22: Treachery

_Author's note- First of many intense installments, enjoy._

_Disclaimer.  
_

* * *

My knees quaked beneath me, barely able to uphold the burden that was smothering my chest. The darkness in front of my feet was expansive, and seemed to be moving in its own deceptive manner, full of fluttering capes and bloody eyes.

My shirt was torn, the part that was supposed to cover my midriff flapping against my hip. Edward had ripped it as he had tried to wrench me from the arms of a couple guards. My arms were wrapped tightly over my exposed skin, my lips murmuring prayers that I had never heard before.

"See you on the other side," Aro's last words rang loudly in my ears, "God help you."

I could still hear Edward's poignant screams as I had been towed away; three guards had restrained him to the ground, their arms shaking with the effort.

"Don't take her!" He had demanded. My legs felt like jelly beneath me, "BELLA!" My heart cracked at the sound of his desperation, "Please, I'll do anything! Bring her back!!"

The sobs clawed up through my vocal chords, bursting through my lips. I lay on the wet ground, quivering against the stone.

_Get up, Bella._

I could hear Edward. My head flew up from the ground, my ears intensely focused on the surrounding atmosphere.

_C'mon Bella. You can do this, start moving. I'm waiting for you._

This wasn't my Edward, I realized with a sense of both defeat and revelation. It was the Edward that had comforted me while he had been…away. I sighed loudly, allowing one last sob to croak out.

I began crawling, feeling the crevices between the cobblestones with my fingers. A flicker of light ahead gave me enough visible equilibrium to stand and I inched towards the light, a large arched doorway emerging from a wall. I stepped through the passageway, cringing at the sight.

Words were blazing against the opposite wall, the letters literally written in flame.

_"__Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.__"_

I shivered involuntarily as the words scribbled themselves into my memory. I skirted around the room, pressing myself against the farthest wall from the passage. My breath was stolen as there was suddenly an absence of floor beneath my feet, a sharp scream escaped my lips but I landed in a crouched manner, defensive.

I had landed in what seemed to be a crypt; the burial vault was colder than my skin. I gasped and flew up against the wall as I looked down to my feet. There were dozens of opened coffins, the stench of rotting human flesh in the air. Many had arms, legs, or both hanging out the side of their caskets, insects invading their now lifeless tissues. I knew where the light that had illuminated the purgatory came from and turned my head slowly towards the phrase.

_"The nightmare Life-in-Death was she."_

These words blazed right in front of my face, scrawled across the floor onto which I had landed. I straightened slowly and crept to the right, praying for somewhere to go. I realized with a gulp of heavy dread that there was nowhere for me to go, at least not without stepping into some of the coffins.

I lowered down towards the floor and attempted to move one of the wooden boxes carefully. As the lid flipped off the man's body rolled onto the floor, his eyes recently consumed by hungry scavengers. I cried loudly and threw my hands over my own eyes, feeling as if they too were being invaded. I had jumped back from the corpse, pushing against a wall. I was gasping heavily as I searched frantically for an alternate escape route. There was a shadow beneath one of the closed coffins to my left and so I proceeded towards it slowly, slipping into the tiny space between the containers.

I lowered my foot slowly down into the hole, feeling it come into contact with something solid. I put my foot down and realized it was a flight of stairs. I let out a restrained breath and warily descended through the narrow staircase.

I stumbled through a silent blackness before flipping around a corner.

_"Alone, alone,—all, all alone_

_Alone on a wide, wide sea." _

My breath caught in my throat. These words almost echoed, their flames throwing acrobatic shadows onto the walls of the chamber, mocking my solidarity. My entire body was wracked with small tremors and my heart was slowly wearing down. Each fear that I held was breathing in me, each consequence screaming its answer in my brain, each face of my family flashing through my head. I collapsed against the wall, alone. All alone.

A weak whimper escaped my lips. How could I possibly have let this happen? Everything I loved was at risk. I could have prevented this; I should have turned myself in. I should have come here, surrendered. They would have been satisfied with me; I had after all been the article that had tipped the delicate balance of protection that the Cullens had preserved. It was my fault that the Volturi had decided that the Cullens were finally too powerful.

_You can't give up now, Bella. You promised me forever, you promised me together. _

Edward spoke loudly in my memories, making my hands shake harder. I had to do this. I had to get to him. My mess, my fault, my responsibility.

I turned over onto my stomach and pulled myself into a low stance. I skulked through a tunnel that was barely tall enough for me to crouch in. I heard yells towards the end and sped up, scrambling into the chamber. I heaved a gasp of surprise as I saw Jasper, chained to the wall.

I ran towards him but froze in my tracks. His eyes met mine, black with fury and predation. He growled lowly in my direction, a guttural noise that made my own heart stutter.

"Jazz?" I said quietly, attempting to approach him once more. I realized for the first time as I took a deep breath that there was blood in the room.

My entire stature went rigid, my mind finally processing the reason behind Jasper's craze. I looked down to my feet and saw traces of it on my shoes. I resisted gagging and stumbled backwards, reading what had been scrawled in blood across the floor.

_"We are more often treacherous through weakness than through calculation."_

The words led to a crushed form in the corner of the room. I saw a relaxed burlap sack beneath the being's head and immediately made the connection; it was the same boy who had been thrown in front of us earlier. I tore my focus from the shaking figure and approached Jasper. His stare remained on the boy; but I looked at the chains, knowing that he should have been able to break them. As I examined them closer, a few bits began to sparkle.

Diamonds?

And then it occurred to me that the Volturi were using our own anatomy against us. They were using the strongest stone in existence in order to reinforce these chains, utilizing the very thing that made our skin so very impenetrable.

"Shit," I spat, throwing the restraints down and inching towards my brother. I put my hand hesitantly on his shoulder; he flinched at the contact and jerked away. "Jasper?" I tried again; he didn't turn his head towards me or acknowledge the question at all. The gruesome statement in front of Jasper's stance rang almost too true. He was too predatory to even listen to me at the moment. I laid my head against his shoulder blade and wrapped my arms tightly around him, noting that he didn't tug away this time. "I'll fix this, Jasper, I promise."

I squeezed him one last time and lurched slowly towards the opening in the wall that hopefully led to something a little less distressing, but I didn't hold out for it. The Volturi had only showed their utter lack of any sort of empathy so far.

* * *

_Author's note- Thank you for reading, leave your thoughts, this type of stuff is foreign for me to write so any opinions are appreciated._

_Citations: "Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall." Measure by Measure, written by William Shakespeare. "Alone, all alone- all, all alone. Alone on a wide, wide sea." Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. "We are more often treacherous through weakness than through calculation," - Francois De La Rochefoucauld.   
_


	23. Chapter 23: Confines

_Author's note- Intense. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer._

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**BPOV**

I crept slowly through the labyrinth, the sound of dripping water echoing louder than my own footsteps. I shivered roughly, the cold breath of evil plunging down the back of my neck. I grimaced as my foot slipped gently over something that I didn't wish to see. I progressed blindly, the blackness too dark for even my eyes. My hands investigated the twists and turns in the walls, grabbing at the breaks in stone formations. My dormant heart was throbbing painfully with dread, the image of Jasper's craze still freshly sown in my head.

I felt the passageway widen and immediately gulped, forcing the stony lump of fear down into the pit of my stomach. I could hear a sloshing ahead, a sound that reminded me of the rolling waves back home. I ambled forward, my entire body wracked with small earthquakes. My hand banged against something steely.

I felt the coldness of the metal as it embraced the contact between my palms and it. I felt down towards where I expected a handle to be and closed my fist over a small lever.

The smell hit me like a freight train. I immediately crumpled to the floor, curling into a helpless crescent. My temples throbbed, sheens of red swiveling in my head. I felt the venom pour over my tongue, leaking from the sides of my taut lips.

I resisted my habitual breathing and focused on clearing my nose of the tantalizing perfume. It was no use as I could still taste the air on my tongue, the memory of the aroma begging me to breathe once more. I dug deep into my heart and scrounged up what was left of my human instinct, hoping to repress the voracious cravings in my head.

I cautiously inched the door open and crawled through the opening. The air was warm against my skin, thick with the weight of blood in its presence. I stood slowly, noting that the room was still completely shrouded in shadow. I came into contact with what felt like steel bars and grasped them tightly, following their angled path around one wall of the room.

As I neared where the lapping sound was loudest I slowed, my hand feeling some kind of handle. I forced the lever down and wrenched it to the side, jumping as flames erupted in front of me, lighting the entire room.

I flew back against the wall, pressing my shoulder blades into the concrete. I had been walking on a ledge that circled the edge of the room, separated from the hole in the middle by the prison bars.

I noted only one way through the bars, which was a slim break in the rails directly to my left. The flames licked up the accelerator, spelling the words that prevented me from continuing on the edge.

_"__Water, water, everywhere_

_And all the boards did shrink;_

_Water, water, everywhere,_

_Nor any drop to drink.__"_

But my nightmare was embodied in the center of the room, a pool of fresh, hot, crimson, metallic wine. The blood began to invade my nostrils, beseeching me to put my lips against its surface. I cringed numerous times, wincing at the yearning that filled me.

With the flames blocking me from continuing to walk on the ledge I was left with only one choice, to wade through the pool. My calves quivered as I lowered into the center of the room, feeling the silk of the liquid as it slid against my skin. Its heat pressed against me, soliciting a cardinal sin.

My entire body tensed as I allowed myself to sink into the pit of temptation. The predator in my head purred in pleasure at the sensation. I moved my muscles, furiously attempting to scale the distance to the other side as quickly as possible. The blood was so close to my lips that I consciously considered dipping my chin, just to flick a drop onto my tongue. The monster in my head tipped the scales, seductively requesting just one taste.

But every time my neck muscles relaxed enough to allow the blood into my mouth a picture of Edward flashed through my head. And each time I jerked up, able to sense each drop of blood that gathered on the curve of my neck, stabilizing its size before collapsing into the pool around me. The monster got angrier as the pattern repeated, becoming more aggravated each time.

I reached the other wall and felt the monster in my mind fight viciously as I climbed out of the center, forcing a space big enough to move through between bars. I fell against the wall, gasping wildly. The words across the room seemed to flicker for a moment longer, taunting me. And then they snuffed out completely, leaving me blind once more.

I lowered my entire body onto the floor, spent from the hideous internal battle. I dragged along the corridor ahead, my arms burning from the effort.

Just as the darkness began to suffocate me I heard childish whimpers and sped up, clawing up onto my legs. I pushed through the claustrophobic air and burst into a small chamber, sighing in relief as I saw my sister.

I sprinted to Alice's side, grabbing her to me. She looked surprised as I smashed into her, gazing up at me with widened eyes.

"Bella?"

"Oh Alice, it's you, you're okay," I practically sang, letting my chest heave in light sobs of relief as I held her to me. After a moment she too twined her arms around my waist.

I gazed above us when we finally parted and read the quote that burned on the ceiling.

_"No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head__."_

No wonder Alice was in here. I shuddered inwardly and turned to the sprite, worried largely by her lack of mental presence.

"Alice, why haven't you tried to escape?"

She looked at me weirdly, as if I had just asked her to explain the chemical combustion that kept supernovas burning.

"Alice?"

I shook her hard by the shoulders; her head lulling back and forth like a rag doll's. Her eyes, vacant and shallow, stayed locked on my clothes, surveying me.

"Are you covered in…blood?" She whispered, her fingers coming and pinching my shirt between her fingers. I nodded and resisted the urge to strip off every piece of clothing that was in contact with my skin. She rubbed the pads of her fingers together and then turned back towards the wall.

I sank heavily onto the floor, my head falling into my hands. An incredible feeling of grief devoured my middle, crunching down on my heart. How were they keeping her like this? How could they suppress a spirit like Alice's?

The task seemed too great in my mind; I let my forehead rest on the back of her legs and cried tearlessly. I had to save my family; I had to figure this out.

I pushed up once more and gazed up to the sentence above us.

_"__No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head__."_

How could they have confined Alice in her own head? I squeezed in front of her and narrowed my eyes at the blank expression. My hands came to rest on her shoulders; I envisioned Alice's mind, forcing anything out-of-body from it. Any visions she'd been having evaporated, her head clearing.

I felt her quiver beneath me and opened my eyes to a beloved expression.

"I can't believe you're alright!" She cried as she cradled me into her arms, crushing me under her relief. I embraced her with equal force, feeling the Jaws of Life relax slightly over my heart.

"What was wrong with you?" I demanded, allowing her to distance herself enough to speak although our hands remained clasped.

"Aro kept thinking of what would happen if I tried to escape, what would happen to you, to Edward, to Jasper," she trembled and shook her head clear, "it was paralyzing."

"I think as long as we keep in contact that I won't have to concentrate completely on silencing them," I sighed at the revelation, "I'll still be able to keep them out and we can do this together."

Her eyes filled with a dancing spark of hope and she squeezed my hand tightly.

"Together we proceed," she remarked, her smile still weighed down by a disgusting amount of dread.

I realized at that moment all of the promises that I had made. I had promised Edward forever, Carlisle responsibility, Jasper a solution, and Alice a way out of this. The Jaws narrowed once more, the incisors scraping against the tender tissue of the left and right ventricles. I was suddenly afraid that if they tightened any further that the arteries would be severed. I only had so many life lines left and was pushing what I felt were some of my last.

I sustained a death grip on Alice's knuckles as we stole out into the abyss of the endless corridors, praying suddenly that my lives were more numerous than a cat's. I wished that I had kept count of how many I had surrendered, but acknowledged hesitantly that my roster was growing by the second.

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_Author's note- Another challenging and atypical chapter for me, opinions would be appreciated. thanks for reading :)_

_Citations: "Water, water, every where/And all the boards did shrink;/Water, water, every where,/Nor any drop to drink." - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. __"__No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head" - Terry Josephson.  
_


	24. Chapter 24: From Clay

_Author's note- Another installment. More struggles. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer. _

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**BPOV**

Alice's hand was stonily frozen around mine, both of us quavering between the other's grasp. The screams echoed eerily off of the surrounding walls, bouncing into our ears clearly, piercingly. We didn't say it to each other, but we knew. We recognized those screams, the voice behind the terror.

I felt the panic knocking dryly in my chest, making my gasps broken and raspy. We rounded a blunt corner and immediately rushed forward, banging against the metal fencing that had been secured in front of the opening.

Esme's feral stance was guarding a small bundle, her eyes wild and possessed.

There was another vampire in the room, an untamed, ferocious being that was lurching and snarling at Esme, eager for her bundle. I was immobile, petrified by the sight. Esme was clawing up the wall behind her, bracing the bundle against her chest, her brilliant teeth gleaming as she growled lowly.

And then one of the blanket's folded down a little bit and I couldn't help but choke out a sob, a baby's terrified face peeked out from beneath Esme's taut arm, its eyes bewildered and frightened by the monster that was lunging towards it.

Alice and I began rocking the fence, desperately attempting to free it from its bolts. And then I saw the words, almost sympathetic enough to make the situation seem harsher.

_We understand death for the first time when he puts his hand upon one whom we love._

I could feel what would have been tears shoving up into my eyes, a large ball gathering at the base of my throat. Time slowed as we made the fence pitch, Esme's mouth was wide with her cries, her eyes furious and desperate in the same moment. Her fingers were scraping against the stone wall behind her, searching for some kind of alternate escape.

Not again, was all I could think. She couldn't lose another; she wouldn't be able to live through this one. It didn't matter if it was hers or not. She was maternal innately; anything helpless and young was immediately under her protection.

The monster crawled closer to her and the child, creeping in a low stature, close to the ground. There was something instinctually raw in his approach, something deadly and atrocious. His movements were purposefully slow and painful as he neared the cornered victims.

Esme wailed louder and louder as he got closer, snarling vigorously and cradling the child to her breast. Alice and I called to her from outside the fence, rocking against the metallic bars.

Her eyes met mine for one horrible, suspended moment. There was this spark of paralyzing fear that flashed across her gaze, making it feel like a knife had been thrust into my side.

Once the steel bars yielded to us the rest passed in a blur, we charged Esme, knocking her from the other one's path. She kept the baby in her arms, bracing it against the impact with the stony floor.

I collapsed onto the floor as a boulder crashed into my back, fighting to get past me. His teeth snapped next to my ear, his arms tangled around mine as he wrestled for the human child. Esme kicked, striking the creature straight in the face as she crawled back towards the wall, Alice positioning in front of her.

I flipped towards the struggling enemy and thrust him across the chamber with all of the strength in my legs. He crashed into the opposing wall, crumbling to the ground with some of the marble that had disintegrated upon impact. His eyes glowed dangerously red once he had risen, flickering with a vengeance that tightened the position that the Jaws held over my heart.

I felt my lip curl back by instinct and a growl brew down deep in the heart of my throat. My legs were perched on the balls of my feet, the muscles engaged. My fingertips brushed the ground, preparing to propel me forward when need be. There was a burning sensation in all of my muscles, as if all of the strength in the world was being filtered into me.

The beast didn't even have a chance to inch towards the child again before I dashed into him, forcing his spine into the marble which cracked under the strain. His force was petty against mine, barely more than a push or shove against my newborn attributes. He kept leaping towards my chest and I ignored it until I realized what he was getting at, I was still soaked in blood. I cursed beneath my breath and kneed him in the gut.

He fell into the floor, his teeth grazing my wrist as he went down. I clamped my fingers over his throat and pushed his skull harder into the floor, assuring his unconsciousness before whimpering at the sharp agony in my wrist.

I limped back towards Esme and Alice, looking to the small bundle. The face was peaceful, its cheeks colored and its breathing slow. I grabbed Alice's hand back into mine, thankful that the hole hadn't been big enough to allow Aro's plots back into her head.

"Esme?" Alice chirped, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Esme, we have to get going, let's get out of here."

Esme's small chest was quivering with emotion as she kept the child embraced against her. We proceeded back through the destroyed fence, turning down the corridor that Alice and I had bypassed due to the distressing noises we'd heard from Esme's chamber.

My pseudo-mother continued to sob, quietly but surely. She still held the young thing to her, praying for it beneath her breath.

I held my wrist in my opposite hand, applying pressure to the burning wound. We preceded carefully, our ears piqued to any noise and possible foe that could've emerged.

I wondered aimlessly how interesting of a caravan I had come to form. A small, darting pixie linked hand in hand with someone who was drenched in blood, and a sobbing torn up mother cradling a child that was not even of the same species.

The halls continually swerved and diverted, encouraging us to lose our sense of direction and minds in the same sense. We just followed our feet, hoping to find something sooner or later.

I kept my hand clamped down on the wrist, my entire body shaking from the pain. There were crashing sounds in the distance, shatters and clatters, ruptures and crashes.

Glittering fractures of glass and mirror flew into the corridor, ricocheting beneath our feet. I could hear shrill shrieks and furious roars up ahead. We bent down, attempting to avoid the sharp debris.

Emmett was catapulting gargantuan pieces of mirror and glass around the room, each reflecting the same image, a writhing tortured Rosalie. I could practically feel Jane's presence somewhere; I knew she was the only one who could cause such affliction from a distance. Rose's body twitched and jerked on the floor in every one of the mirrors and glass plates, the image only that much more compelling.

Alice and I dove towards the nearest mirror, pausing to study the image. In front of Rosalie's body, wherever in the room it really was, words that were spelled out in pieces of mirror shone.

_Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow._

We couldn't lose anything. Emmett's cries were riotous and his throws destructive as he tore through the planes. We pitched over the one that we were in front of, climbing over its pile of slivers and ramming into the next. The quote rolled over and over in my head, forwards, backwards, and sideways.

I squeezed Alice's hand and motioned for her to stop shattering the pieces. We couldn't lose the substance…so we had to quit grasping at the shadow. I kept Alice's hand in mine but tried to imagine Jane, her evil self popped quickly into my head. I focused on disarming her, extinguishing that flame that she lit in the minds of her victims.

Rosalie's yells quieted into whimpers and as I opened my eyes her figure had disappeared completely from within the glass.

"Where'd she go?!"Emmett bellowed vehemently.

"Emmett, we have to get out of here to find her!"I screamed, nervous that something else might be waiting in the room that was now in pieces.

"I can't leave! I won't leave without her!"He pleaded, his face fiercely angry but his voice wavering.

"Emmett, please," Esme reckoned desperately, "we have to get out of here. She's not in here; we have to go find her."

He rocked unsurely in place before sending his fist through the closest reflective wall. The splatter of silvery knives echoed through the room, Alice and I cringed.

He flew out into the corridor, running at top speed through the tangle of passageways. We barely kept up, flailing after him. He hollered her name throughout the passages, each terrifyingly loud syllable crashing back into our ears.

We came to a door, an ominous wooden structure that took up half a wall. As we reached for the metal lever it turned slowly, not having been touched by any of us.

We backed up, shying away from the ghostly opening. A sullen faced man emerged, his platinum blonde hair shimmering in the candle light. Esme ran to him, wrapping her free arm around his torso. He however did not return the courtesy. He gently moved her aside, casting his eyes to the ground.

"Do not touch me, Esme. I have done nothing to deserve your love," he croaked, his hair quivering due to his withheld sobs.

"Carlisle what are you talking about?"Alice asked, approaching him. He stumbled back from her, covering his face.

"Don't you see?"He yelled, throwing his arms theatrically into the air. "This is all my doing!"

"What is, Carlisle?"I demanded, drawing nearer to him.

"I've seen it, I've seen everything."

"Seen what, Carlisle?" I practically yelled.

"All of it, every panic and struggle, every imprisonment and torture that my children and wife have been through!" He spat, hammering a closed fist into the wall. A hole burst from the powdered marble.

"How?" I balked, awed and disgusted at the cruelty of our captors.

"Don't you think Aro has been watching you the entire time?" He wailed, "He's kept me right there with him, watching as each of you battled that inner monster that I installed in you!" His hands shook in hysterics, his resolve going to pieces as he recalled his families' suffering. A scroll rolled out from his pant pocket as he slumped onto the floor, crumbling into sobs.

I reached for it and unrolled it slowly,

_Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay_

_To mould me man? Did I solicit thee_

_From darkness to promote me?_

I crunched the paper between my fingers, allowing it to flutter to the floor as pieces of dust. Esme knelt beside her husband, placing a warm hand onto his shoulder.

"This has nothing to do with you, Carlisle," she cooed, petting his shirt down against his skin, "their evil has been spawned in jealousy and spite, two things that your goodness can't even fathom feeling." He shook his head, pressing the heels of his hands into the sockets of his eyes.

It unraveled me to see Carlisle in such distress, the rock of our family had been compromised, shaken from its solid place against the current. How much longer would the rest of us last?

"Aro said to me right as you all were pulled away, '_y__ou become responsible forever for what you've tamed._' It sickened me. Because deep down I felt its honesty," he confessed, running his bony hands through his hair.

I shuddered to think what kind of responsibility Edward was shouldering at this moment. His teeth had been the ones that had bestowed the scar upon my neck. And then my heart thudded down against my pelvic bone, causing me to exhale sharply. I still had yet to find him. What sordid torture could they be exposing him to?

It made me nauseous to think of the possibilities.

* * *

_Author's note- Thank you so much for reading! Leave any thoughts!_

_Citations: __"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow._" Aesop. _"Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay /To mould me man? Did I solicit thee _/_From darkness to promote me?" _Paradise Lost by John Milton._" __You become responsible forever for what you've tamed." _Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.


	25. Chapter 25: Bleed For Me

_Author's note- I know it has been a long while, my friends. Edward's piece was definitely the most difficult. I hope the length makes up for the delay. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of the twilight series, all rights of which, are reserved for Stephenie Meyer. No Copyright infringement is intended.  
_

* * *

**BPOV**

The tunnels breathed in and out around us, expanding and narrowing around corners. My heart and mind were fatigued and bleary, my hand still tightly wound around Alice's. Our caravan slithered through the intestines of the city, dreading what may lie beyond any stretch of cold stone. 

The walls dripped dirty water from the streets above, having seeped down through the ground. The coolness of the air was enough to invade even my skin, resting icily against me. My breaths came shallow and sharp, my lungs detesting the environment around me. I edged nearer towards desperation. 

And then we came to a door. A wooden, locked door. It was great and heavy, its ancient metal supports blackened. 

In soot, in the center of the entrance read,

_Because I could not stop for Death,  
He kindly stopped for me.  
The Carriage held but just ourselves  
And Immortality._

My eyes fell dismally to the floor as my breath escaped me. How much longer? I didn't know how long we could all hang on. I wasn't sure how much farther I could go. The door creaked open, its hinges protesting the movement. We stepped carefully, warily through the arch. 

I felt Alice let go of my hand and spun to see them all gone. Every single one of the members of my family that I had fought to save had disappeared, as if nothing more than apparitions to begin with. 

"You thought you had rescued them all, didn't you?" The silky voice made me wince, sending a frozen dagger down the length of my spine. 

He leaned casually against the far wall, his red eyes gleaming in the low light, sparkling like rubies.

"Let me finish this, Aro," I insisted, my words deflated. He smiled condescendingly and tapped the tips of his fingers together.

"No need to worry, pet. You will get your chance," he paused, letting his eyes comb over my appearance. "I was wondering what smelled so delightful as your charming group entered," he was suddenly behind my shoulder, coaxing the sleeve of my bloody shirt down from my shoulder. 

My skin crawled where his fingers came into contact with it, scaly and thin. He trailed a finger down my bare shoulder where the shirt had left a residue of blood. He rubbed his fingers together under his nose, smiling wickedly as he circled to the front of me. He leaned close by my shoulder, his breath skimming over the rim of my ear.

"Go on, Bella," he paused, "go save your family." 

I wrenched away from him and ran into the adjacent shadowed hall, praying to reach somewhere fast. But as I approached a lit area my hopes changed. Suddenly I wished I was anywhere but here, not this 

place again. The cylindrical room came into focus, the slits high up casting the glomine of the day down onto the floors. I gasped and fell onto my knees. 

He was okay.

Edward lay in the corner, three guards holding him down as two more stood in front of him. My heart throbbed angrily at the sight but another part felt relieved, he was still here. I still had the chance to save him. 

His skin sparkled as his face passed through a spot of light, his perfect features reflecting rainbows onto the walls. He struggled in the grasp of the guards, forcing the three to grunt and thrash in order to keep him in control. 

"Edward?" I said quietly, still on the other side of the room. His fierce eyes met mine, black and dangerous. His jaw snapped and his lips curled back as he growled and roared. 

"Who the hell are you?" He spat. His eyes still locked with mine. The guards seemed only then to realize that I was there. They turned and took notice, grinning evilly. The three that had been restraining him let him free.

He flew at me, his granite body pinning mine to the wall. 

"Why do you come here?" He screamed, his voice raw and feral. I stared into those onyx jewels, completely taken aback. What had they done to him? "Who are you!" He yelled, his teeth revealed close to my face. 

"Bella," I sobbed, trying to bend away from his stance.

"Yeah, I'll be damned to Heaven if you are!" He said, throwing me to the ground, "who have you sent to torture me so?" He asked the guards, his voice strained, "where did you find such a creature? Such an impostor?" He threw his fist into the wall, shattering the stone, "what kind of Hell is this?"

"It's me," I cried, my body collapsing onto the stone.

"My Bella's dead," Edward said from above me, his body shaking. What? Dead?

"No, Edward, I'm right here!" I demanded, banging my fists against the floor. 

"I saw it!" He bellowed, closing in on my vulnerable position. 

"W-wh-what! How?" How could he have seen me die? My head was reeling, my bones aching, my heart shrieking. 

"I watched it," his voice cracked, he leaned his wrist against a wall, his forehead resting against the stone, "God dammit I saw it all through Aro's head. They had some monster rip her to shreds, licking blood of others from her clothes." 

His ribs began to quiver as he shrank against the wall. 

"So you tell me, right now, who the hell you are before I rip you to pieces!" I was horrified and longed for the topaz of the merciful eyes I knew so well. But I only saw the anguish and loss in them, his expression desolate, his bronze hair matted and filthy, "I have nothing more to lose, so you'd do best to take heed of that."

I looked up to the ceiling and felt like crying the pain of a thousand deaths.

_And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger._

The words blazed up above, singing the song of brilliant cruelty. 

"It's me," I croaked, my eyes pulling back to his. 

"How can it be!" He beseeched, his voice hysterical. He jumped from me and turned to the guards. "Kill me," he stipulated, his stance rigid. 

They stayed still.

"Do it!" He pleaded, running towards them. 

"NO!" I screamed, coming behind him. "Edward, you saw a lie! Just like Aro saw a false future in Alice's head when I came to save you!" 

He spun on his heel, his eyes still furious but deeper. He grabbed my wrist and forced me to the ground. 

"How do you know about that?" He demanded, his expression pained. 

"Edward, it's me," I begged him and the heavens above. He yanked me up and put his hands against my shoulder and neck, wrenching my head to the side. He fingered the scar, tracing it delicately. My skin sang at his touch, however brutal.

I raised my head and met softened eyes. He placed hands on the sides of my face and stared into my eyes, searching. 

"It is you," he whimpered, dragging me into his chest as he wept. I stole a glance to the guards behind us and noted their startled expressions. Apparently, Aro hadn't instructed them in what to do had I been able to convince Edward that it really was me. They looked warily to each, gauging the others' expressions. A decision was obviously quickly made as one of the guards kicked a ticking wheel of chains that sent bars flying down in front of every exit. The metal clanked loudly against the solid floors. 

Edward angled his body in front of me, crouching in his feline manner and baring his formidable snarl. The guards smiled, flipping back their hoods and mocking Edward's stance. I planted my feet behind my husband, ready to hurdle towards anyone that came at him. The guards were five in number, two 

extremely large and three average in size. Their red eyes prowled over us greedily, _two against five_, they hummed voraciously in their heads, _no chance_. 

The biggest one lunged first, sprawling Edward onto the floor for a split second before Edward had spun out from underneath and sent his heel into the giant's skull. The guard flopped onto the floor, his chin slack against the cobblestones. Two came at me, their eyes flickering. I realized mutely that they were identical twin boys who couldn't have been older than fourteen when they had been turned. 

They licked their lips as they circled, snapping their jaws as I danced around myself. I could hear the two others go after Edward. One of the two twins reached forward and secured my wrist behind my back, shoving my cranium into the wall. A shooting pain cracked through the crown of my head. I wrestled and spun in their grasp, kicking one straight in the jaw. The scene apart from ours caught the corner of my eye, my heart jerked as I saw Edward pinned as I was. 

I didn't understand the strength these two held against my own. They had to have been changed recently to be overpowering me like this. My moment of wonder had cost me a chomp to the shoulder. I hissed in pain and sent my knee into his stomach. 

Bellows and roars rocked in my eardrums as I seized opportunities to bite and tear, sever and flail. I realized dismally that I may have come so far only to fail. My muscle tissues screamed in agony at every move I made, the wounds in my skin beginning to tingle. I cried out as one of the replicas forced an elbow into the back of my neck and sent me into the floor's unforgiving embrace. 

"Get up, Bella!" Edward's panicked words flew swiftly to me as I labored to spin back onto my feet. "Watch out!" His warning reached me half a second too late as one of the fists came into contact with the conjunction between my head and neck. 

I collapsed into a third pair of arms that should not have been there. 

You never believe in guardian angels until one is thrown at your face, full force. The grip didn't tighten around my throat as I expected it to but rather lowered me back to the floor and stepped over my body. I would have recognized that princely stature anywhere. His movements were milky and swift. His brown hair hung in his face, his strong jaw line obvious even from this angle.

"Raph," I whispered, my eyes wishing they were allowed to close. 

The twins seemed bewildered by the stranger's arrival and left open a two-second window during which most of their limbs had been disembodied. Raph's muscles rippled beneath his skin as he shredded the granite tendons between knee and femur, thigh and rotary cup, elbow and wrist, shoulder and humerus. 

My head lulled to the side and then my legs were suddenly rushing to the other side of the room. The other big guard straddled Edward's hips, his hands clapped over the throat beneath his palms. 

"Thought you had us beat, didn't ya?" The Boston accent clanged through the words gracelessly. Edward's knuckles were stressed over the assailant's crushing wrists, his legs beating. I bowed close to the ground and shot at the back of the guard, his shoulder blade crashing into the side of my face. 

He flew only a few feet but far enough to free Edward from his grasp. I bulldozed my forehead into his chest, securing my fingers around his neck. The stone wall hurtled into my knuckles and the pain shook up my arm. My other hand knotted into his hair and I yanked to the left as hard and as fervently as possible. My shoulders cried in pain from the pressure and the bones in my hands felt like they were splintering. 

My heart hadn't quit racing as if I were living again since the strange hold that the guard had kept over Edward had first invaded my senses. I jerked my hands that last half inch. I heard and felt the loud snap that caused the guard to go slack in my arms. Raph and Edward immediately reached my side, ripping the guard apart as if nothing more than a hinged Ken doll. I crumpled to the ground and cradled my head against my knees. Edward's arms secured around my shoulders and I felt his lips at my ear, murmuring something inaudible. 

I stayed there, my arms tied around my husband, relief flooding my chest. After a few moments I looked up to my savior. He stood, his eyes politely averted. He was still as stately as I recalled in my greatest memories of his charms. 

"Raph," I sang, rising from the floor and placing my hand against his cheek. 

"I am so sorry, bird," he cooed, unable to meet my gaze directly, "I should've arrived sooner, knowing what I knew of these evils." 

I shook my head, negating him silently. 

"You saved me." My words hung in the air, consequential and heavy. He glanced down to me for the first time and I lost myself in what I noted to be amber eyes. I smiled widely and he returned it, winding his arms around my back. 

"Stay safe, Bell." He set me down next to my partner and shook his hand sturdily. "Best of luck." 

And then he went away. To where? Perhaps I shall never discover. But is that really what matters? What I remember of Raph is the way his eyes could hypnotically convince you that the ground you walked on was actually made of jello if he wanted to, the ways that smile could knock on even the most dormant of hearts, and –most importantly- his actions that ultimately saved the lives of every member of my family. 

I'm not sure there is a better definition for a guardian angel. Perhaps he was just a temporary one, meant to serve for only a time before retreating back into the mush of sin and penance, but none the less his regal posture and Irish tongue would be forever burned into my memory, to be savored and thanked. 

Edward turned to me, his blackened stare now deep and warm. I wanted nothing more than to cuddle up with its murky pull. 

"You saved me," he said quietly, his stare intense.

"Who's the damsel in distress now?" I joked softly, not cracking a smile. 

"I owe you," he promised. 

"I love you," I promised back.

We crept slowly out of the door that eventually we knew led to the lobby. Alec stood at the final door. His saucer eyes and placated expression looked ill placed beneath his demonic stare. 

"Congratulations," he purred, his stare not breaking from mine, "you're free to go."

We heard bustling behind us and saw Alice being led out of a deep chamber, Jasper being carried by a separate guard. She kept her gaze to the blonde brother, running to him as he was set by our feet. Esme and Carlisle were next, both detained by a guard. They were tossed towards us. Esme's arms threw themselves around Edward's shoulders, her body quivering with reprieve. Carlisle stood by my side, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. 

"We'll never be able to thank you," he murmured as a third door cranked open. Emmett had Rosalie over his shoulder and was glaring at the guard who led them towards us. I crouched beside Jasper and swept some of his hair away, his eyes were closed. 

"Alice?" I asked, my voice wavering, "what's wrong with Jasper and Rose?" 

Carlisle cut in, "they've been heavily sedated, dragged away from their chambers to wait to be released or be slaughtered," we all winced at the brusqueness of the latter of the statement. My heart felt a million weights lift.

"So they'll be okay?" I pressed.

"In a few hours or so, yes," Carlisle replied.

* * *

At the fresh sting of the night air I collapsed into Edward's arms, my face muffled against his chest. My hands shook and my breath rattled, I should have been crying. 

"Bella?" He asked softly.

"We made it," I mumbled, my lips numbed at the thought. He nodded and smirked that half-grin that made those butterflies in my stomach jump around. His lips pressed momentarily against mine, whispering devotion and love at contact. 

"Let's go home," Esme said, wrapping her arms around her semicircle of children. The crescent moon looked like a crooked smile in the sky, her creamy breath trickling over us. The stars were hung lazily next to her, sprinkling their winks over earth and promising for a better tomorrow. 

I sighed and let the air blow out from my nostrils, thick and unsaddled. A final quote came to my head, one of my own choosing, 

_Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense._

My eyes fluttered again to the sky and I saw a glittering body fall, I made a wish, tucking it into the little space between my heart and breastbone. Edward's hand squeezed mine, tugging me from ahead. Sometimes those little pressures signify all that is worth bleeding for.

* * *

_Author's note- Please leave your thoughts, opinions, anything. I treasure all reviews. Thanks for reading!  
_

_Citations: "Because I could not stop for Death/ He kindly stopped for me./ The Carriage held but just ourselves/ And Immortality." Emily Dickinson. "And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger." From The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. "__Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense." Mark Overby._

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	26. Chapter 26: Epilogue: Serenade

_Author's note- And finally...the epilogue. I apologize for not announcing the last chapter **as **my last, but at the time I was still too attached to admit it. I'm definitely not finished with these two, not yet at least. Perhaps look for another piece later. Pictures of the described outfits are linked on my profile :)_

_Disclaimer. _

* * *

His hand met the small of my back, the same electricity as always jolting through my skin.

"Did I mention how breathtaking you look tonight?" He purred in my ear. My skin shivered at his honeyed words. His bronze hair was hanging in his eyes, shadowing the sparks of mischief that danced there.

"A couple of times," I assured him, smiling against his cheek and pressing my lips against his jawbone.

Chicago had been wonderful so far. We all had moved out of the Alaskan house and left Carmen and company in peace. I'd finally been back to the house that Edward's parents had left in his name. The experience was…beyond words. Nostalgia practically sang from the home, old pictures and furnishings still intact.

We lived there now; Carlisle and the others had purchased a tasteful estate outside of city limits. It was nice to have a house to ourselves—a whole house…all to ourselves, all the time. The butterflies in my stomach jittered just as the reminder flew across my consciousness.

Jasper, Alice, Edward, and I had transferred into St. Ignatius Collegiate Preparatory as juniors last December. It had been an interesting ride, to say the least. But luckily we avoided any replays of the day we took the tour of the school in Alaska, and for that I was more than grateful.

There had been so many new experiences, new people, new places, but unfortunately, the same old classes. I realized very quickly that school was the same everywhere. Boring, dull, mundane, and routine.

But I didn't mind it so much as long as I had everyone with me; they made it bearable…enjoyable almost. I thought back to Volterra sometimes, of the nightmare that had come to take my entire family from me. The memories still haunt my head, ready to shoot chills down my spine whenever they come to visit. We've been lucky thus far to avoid contact with the Volturi, and I can only hope that they have finally come to rest with whatever score they needed settled.

I stared longingly into those molten eyes as Edward twirled me around the ballroom floor, dipping me towards the floor. The candles' flames persevered through the spins and trips from the dance floor, flickering strongly atop the linen tablecloths. Prom was done much different here than at home.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asked, his breath tickling my ear.

"You could say that," I teased, smirking at his bemused expression. Alice and I had searched for months for her prom dress; mine took me four minutes to find. Hers was a silk black number straight out of D Squared's Milan Spring Fashion week. I have no idea how she got her hands on it, and I wasn't really interested in finding out. It was short and ruffled minimally at the bottom and around the hole that exposed the centerpiece of her chest. I don't think Alice could have looked more perfect in anything.

Mine was just as fancy, a Valentino Haute Couture that Alice had put on hold for me from Paris's 2008 Spring show. The crème colored silk bodice clung tightly to my curves, the sleeves falling deliberately onto my biceps. The fabric was covered in water-color type flowers, twisting down the ruffles that entwined my legs. To my utter amazement I had liked it, a lot. But I never did bet against Alice.

My hair was secured at the crown of my head, looking purposely tousled and perfectly messy. Edward was in a black dress shirt and pants, looking stunning as always. Sometimes I wished I still had a heartbeat to stop. But the rewards of this situation were much better anyways.

"Remember the last time we tried this?"Edward laughed, pulling me into his arms to sway to a slow song.

"What I remember is my foot in a cast, and very lovely vampire who was still astutely stubborn," I said, letting my smile crawl jovially into place.

"And look where you are now," he insisted, "a vampire and as stubborn as ever."

"Must be a side effect," I commented, snickering at the raise of his brow. We strolled lazily back to the table where Jasper was stirring a glass of water with his finger. "Thirsty, Jazz?" I jeered. He rolled his eyes and flicked some of the water from his fingers at me.

I folded into a chair and sighed as my love draped an arm around my bare shoulders.

"Oh no," Edward muttered, stiffening.

"What is it?" I demanded; my adrenaline…or the vampire comparative, piquing as I scanned the room for crimson eyes and black capes. He just responded by stuffing his head into his hands. Jasper sniggered mischievously as a thin blonde girl approached the table. Her huge green eyes were filled with a mix of terror and interest, her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"W-wou…would you maybe dance with me?" She stuttered, facing Edward. I stifled the laugh that begged to tumble from my lips with a hooked finger on my lips. A group of girls stared at her with reverence and envy. My husband looked to me, his eyes wide with discomfort and irritation, waiting for me to tell her that he was most definitely taken.

But I was never one to pass up a memorable moment.

"I'd bet she's a great dancer," I confirmed, watching as Edward's face fell and the girl's lit up simultaneously. He growled nearly silently towards me as he grudgingly stood from his chair, nodding politely to the swooning teen.

Jasper and I laughed achingly hard as the scene played out in front of us, the poor girl's entire body shaking so badly that it threw her off balance. The beads of sweat gathered noticeably on her upper lip and brow as Edward gentlemanly held her up on the wooden square of polished wood, refusing to whisk her around the way he liked to do me. After one song he bowed to her and thanked her with a smile, nearly making her collapse with happiness.

"You're going to pay for that," he murmured to the both of us as he pulled the chair back underneath him.

"She's the one that owes, Ed," Jasper pointed his finger to me, "I didn't instigate anything."

"Liar," Edward claimed, rolling his eyes at the feigned innocence. Alice skipped over to the table, her lips freshly red.

"Where have you been?" Jasper wondered, gratefully accepting a kiss.

"The restroom." She tossed her clutch onto the table.

"Why?" Edward and Jasper requested at the same time. She sighed and rubbed the underside of her jaw.

"Reapplying makeup," she answered smartly, scoffing as if they should have realized such. They both chuckled lowly and turned their attention back to the dance floor, where multiple couples were twitching awkwardly to the music, holding onto their partners' waists and shoulders.

The pixie crossed her legs into the chair next to me, rearranging some of my curls back into place.

"You look flawless, Izzy." I groaned at the nickname. Alice had decided to revive the first half of my name in an effort to be individualistic.

"Oh, Alice, _please_ don't call me that," I complained, shaking my head as she laughed at me.

"But it's cute," she insisted.

"It's horrible," I promised. She giggled musically and stood up, dragging her blonde haired husband to the dance floor and scaring a few people off the floor with her dramatic entrance.

"Care to join me in the courtyard?" Edward invited, his lips moving against the rim of my ear. He didn't need to hear my reply to know my answer.

The crescent moon was slung dazedly between the stars, glowing mutely. Its light was plastered against the deep green of the grass in the courtyard, the moonbeams playing tricks with our glittering skin.

We sat onto a bench by a wall and gazed into the night, staring quietly up at the vast expanse of stellar bodies above us. Edward's charming laugh interrupted the silence.

"Why are you laughing?"

"I never thought things would be this perfect," he divulged, shrugging. I tilted my head, wordlessly requesting an explanation, "Bella, there has always been something hanging over us, the change, the Volturi, the wolves…"

I nodded in acknowledgment and let out a long exhale, expelling the weight that the memories brought to my chest.

"And now that we're free to be the way we're supposed to be…" he trailed. "Like I said," he continued, "it's perfect."

"Like a dream," I filled in. He smiled at me and pecked the corner of my lips.

"You've always seemed that way to me," he confided. I would've blushed if that blood had still existed.

"Too bad you can't dream," I reminded him.

"There was never a need," he said, "I had you while I was awake."

"Well, aren't you the charmer tonight?" I smirked.

"Remember our vows?" Edward pondered, squeezing my fingers between his.

"How could I forget?" My heart fluttered into my throat as I thought back to the precious day when I had been bound to him forever. "Why do you bring it up?" I prodded. He smiled and glanced shyly to the wet ground.

"Just thinking about the things we said."

"Anything in particular?" I wondered aloud, chewing on the side of my cheek. He let out a satisfied sigh.

"Yeah," he mentioned, playing with my fingers between his own, "when I said, I try not to blink when I'm around you, better not to miss any of your enchantment," he stated. My chest tingled at the words. "It's truer now than it ever was," he confided, letting his teeth show themselves as I stared into his alluring gaze.

His lips collided with mine, allowing all of the heat that was buried somewhere in me to surface. He tugged at my hair until it all came tumbling down. His hands slipped into my curls, pulling them gently.

"Alice is going to be upset about that," I joked, "it took her sixty-two seconds to get it to look like that."

"Shame."

His lips greedily swallowed mine again, his hand resting against the back of my neck. His hand closed around my left wrist and pulled it up to his face. He kissed the diamond on my fourth finger and turned the ring around my finger.

"It seems like forever since I gave you this," he whispered, twisting the engagement stone around.

"We don't have an eternity behind us," I rationalized. He looked up to me, causing me to lose my breath.

"You're right," he conceded, "it's what we have to look forward to."

* * *

_Author's note- These are the lyrics to Twilight Serenade by Jason Myles Goss. They seemed to fit...so here they are. _

* * *

So here's to you, like brother's tonight

Tried and true, fading in the twilight

Well I can hear you breathin', see your picture

On the wall

I would give you my wings, if they'd help you at all

Well this city's growing cold, from the needle it heats

There's a howling wind rushing through these Chicago streets

Oh and you were dreaming of Alice, But you got wrapped

In her chains

And even midnight is burning, alive tonight like the

Blood in your veins

And this is my Twilight Serenade

This is my Twilight Serenade

And I'm singing for you

I'm singing for you

This crumbling moon, dressed in black and white

Well it fades away, hiding, from your ghost tonight

And you said, "hey man, don't follow", Oh but I was

Already there

You were walking on a tight rope but you were

Too young to care

…and I'm singing for you

* * *

_Author's note- Thanks for everything guys! This whole thing has meant more to me than anything else! Closing thoughts or arguments would gladly be accepted! I can't say I am finished with this story. So perhaps in the future check back for a third piece. If you're interested in other pieces of my fiction, Belated Birthdays is my recent obsession. Again thanks for everything, it's meant more than you could know!_


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